Renters’ Rights Act 2026: Complete Guide for Landlords
If you are a landlord with rental property located in the UK, you should be well aware of the Renters’ Rights Act 2026.The bill which has recently passed as law in UK Parliament officially goes live from 1st May 2026, after years of discussion by the Government.
These new landlord legal obligations in UK 2026 have been talked about for some time, but it’s finally time to take action for landlords and letting agents.The Government have put deadlines in place to ensure everyone follows the new legislation, and if these deadlines aren’t met, landlords and agents could face severe fines.
A phased approach is being taken with the new legislation. The first changes to impact landlords and tenants include rent increase control, abolishment of Section 21 evictions, changes to Assured Shorthold Tenancies and requests for pets.
At Curlett Jones Estates, we are not only leading letting agents in Southport, but are a member of Propertymark, the UK’s leading professional body for property estate agents. This means we receive all the official instructions and documents regarding the Renters’ Rights Act 2026, allowing us to communicate this to our landlords and tenants to ensure compliance at all times.
Our Head of Property Management, Nikita Gusca, is on hand to support any landlords who are feeling unsure.
What Is the Renters’ Rights Act 2026?
The Renters’ Rights Act 2026 has been created to establish fairness within the private rented sector in the UK. It aims to give tenants more rights against unnecessary “no-fault” evictions and crazy rent increases. With the new legislation, the Government also aims to prevent bidding wars between renters, and end discrimination against tenants with pets and those on benefits. Another goal of the Government is to increase security for tenants by changing all Assured Shorthold Tenancielet s to periodic rolling contracts.
First being introduced to Parliament in September 2024, it took until October 2025 for the Renters’ Rights Bill to receive Royal Assent. A timeline has now been established for when certain laws will be rolled our as part of the act:
- 1st May 2026 – Phase One
– Section 21 abolished
– Change to periodic tenancies
– Rent increases capped to once per year
– Right to request pets, cannot be unreasonably refused
– Ban on rental bidding wars
– Awaab’s Law
- 31st May 2026 – Deadline for Information Sheet
- Late 2026 – Rollout begins for Private Rented Sector database
- 2027 – Full national launch of the Private Rented Sector database
- 2028 – Introduction of the PRS Landlord Ombudsman
Please note that new tenancy laws in UK could be introduced at any time, so you should keep checking the projected timeframe on an official body’s website.
Rent Increases Before the Renters’ Rights Act 2026
Before the Renters’ Rights Act became law, there were a lot less restrictions on rent increases in the UK. Landlords could increase rent more often, but now with tenancies switching to periodic, things are changing.
How Rent Increases Will Change Under the New Law
Rent can now only be increased once every 12 months and specific legal procedures must be adhered to. These include serving a Section 13 notice. The rent increase must not exceed the current market rate, and tenants are welcome to challenge any increases they deem unfair via a First-Tier Tribunal.
Landlords must also give a minimum of 2 months’ notice to tenants.
If you’re unsure on how to serve a Section 13 notice for a rent increase, let us know, and we can help you with our various expert property management services in the UK.
Section 21 Notice: What’s Changing?
A Section 21 is a “no-fault” eviction notice served to tenants when a landlord wants to regain possession of their rental property. The process usually takes over two months. The Government are choosing to abolish this notice as it unfairly evicts tenants who have done nothing wrong. It aims to increase security for tenants, meaning they cannot be unfairly asked to leave the property through no fault of their own.
Instead, landlords and agents will have to perform a Section 8 notice to regain possession of the rental property.
Risks of Losing Section 21
- Harder repossession for landlords
- Reduced control and income for landlords
- Increased reliance on legal grounds
- Increased legal costs
- Increases arrears
- Prolonged void periods
Plan ahead before Section 21 is removed and get expert advice from our team.
How to Serve a Section 21 Notice Before It’s Abolished
In order to serve a Section 21 notice correctly before they are abolished, landlords and agents must follow a strict process. This involves giving at least two months’ notice, using a specific form, gathering relevant compliance documents, delivering the notice in a way that satisfies the law and evidencing that it has been actioned.
If any of these things are missed, tenants could argue that the Section 21 is not valid and landlords will not have a case to evict the tenant.
When Can You Still Use Section 21?
The last date in the UK that you can legally serve a Section 21 is 30th April 2026.
Step-by-Step: How to Serve a Section 21 Notice
- Use mandatory Form 6A for Assured Shorthold Tenancies
- Provide minimum two months’ notice
- Serve via first-class post or in person at the address to the tenant directly or through the letterbox
- Take photos to evidence serving the notice
- Must arrive before 4.30pm on a working day
- Ensure property in question is 100% compliant with deposit protection, gas safety certificates, EPCs, and How to Rent Guide
Common Mistakes That Invalidate Section 21
- Deposit not protected properly
- Incorrect paperwork
- Licensing issues
- Retaliatory eviction claims
What Happens After Serving the Notice?
Tenants should leave by the specific date mentioned on the Section 21 notice. If the tenant refuses to leave the rental property, landlords can apply for a court possession order.
Section 8 Grounds for Eviction Explained
Leading on from Section 21s being abolished, the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 focuses on how landlords can use Section 8s for eviction.
When this notice is served, it begins the eviction process against tenants who have breached a term in their tenancy agreement. There are various grounds for possession which are split into mandatory and discretionary grounds.
Mandatory grounds refer to grounds broken by a tenant/s, that when proven by the landlord to be true, a court judge has no other choice but to grant possession to the landlord. Grounds include rent arrears, anti-social behaviour or prior occupation.
Discretionary grounds refers to more minor breaches which a court must consider to ascertain if the breach is reasonable enough for the landlord to regain possession. These include damage, nuisance and breach of tenancy.
Common Grounds Landlords Use
- Serious rent arrears
- Continued late rent payments
- Anti-social behaviour
- Breach of tenancy e.g. unauthorised pets in property
Expected Changes Under the 2026 Act
- Expanded grounds
- Stricter evidence requirements
- Longer timelines
Handling evictions incorrectly can be costly. Our team manages the entire process so get in touch if you need support!
Pets and the Renters’ Rights Act 2026
Previously, UK landlords had the right to refuse a pet in their property, even when not providing a valid reason for the refusal. Now, tenants have more rights.
Tenants have the right to ask for a pet using a written request which should include details about the pet in question. Landlords then have 28 days to respond to the tenant.
In some cases, pets can be refused. For example, if the property was too small for the specific pet, or if another tenant has a severe allergy. Sometimes, the lease of an entire building also forbids pets.
Risks and Considerations
- Tenants’ right to request pets
- Landlords must not “unreasonably refuse”
- New process and deadlines for requesting pets
What’s Changing for Landlords?
If landlords or agents don’t reply to tenants within the 28-day deadline, tenants can now take you to court which could incur costs.
If you are wondering how to comply with renters reform bill changes such as requests for pets, our professional Property Management team are happy to help.
Key Legal Changes Landlords Must Prepare For
To summarise, here are the key changes landlords need to prepare for now:
- End of no-fault evictions
- Rent increase regulation
- Expanded grounds of Section 8
- No discrimination of pets
Financial Impact on Landlords
Despite the overall goal of the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 to make the sector more balanced, landlords may incur additional costs.
Firstly, if landlords don’t comply with the legislation, they are at risk of financial penalties of up to £40,000 per property. If tenants take landlords to court, there is also the risk of facing court costs.
Secondly, landlords could face higher compliance costs due to an increase in the cost of EPCs.
End to rental bidding and rent increases more than once yearly could see landlords face reduced revenue flexibility.
As one of the leading letting agents in Liverpool, Curlett Jones is on hand to help landlords navigate the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 effectively and profitably.
Landlord Compliance Checklist for 2026
Propertymark has released a checklist to help landlords and agents stay compliant. We have also created an internal Landlord Compliance Checklist where you can score your property’s compliance rating.
- Read through Information Sheet
- Serve the Information Sheet to tenants
- Update tenancy agreement
- Review rent increase strategy
- Understand Section 8 grounds
- Prepare for pet requests
- Review Propertymark documents
- Ensure legal compliance
- Serve Section 21 before 1st May if you require eviction of tenant
Why Landlords Are Switching to Letting Agents
At Curlett Jones Estates we are seeing a number of landlords switching to letting agents landlord services instead of self managing their property portfolio. There has been a definite increase since the announcement of the Renters’ Rights Act 2026, because landlords simply don’t have the time or confidence to understand the new legislation and act accordingly.
Legal complexity is rising, stress is increasing, and there is more risk for landlords
As acting award-winning letting agents in Newcastle, Southport and Liverpool, we have been supporting landlords for six years, and will continue to do so through this daunting time of change. If the new rules are followed, landlords have absolutely nothing to worry about the new laws will create a fairer sector for all.
How Curlett Jones Helps You Stay Compliant
- Fully managed services (Essential and VIP packages)
- Legal updates handled
- All tenant communications handled by us
- 24/7 support
- Rent increase management
- Eviction handling
Book a free consultation with our Head of Lettings and Property Management to discuss how we can help you.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can landlords still increase rent before 2026?
Now we are in 2026, the best course of action could be to increase the rent before the 1st May 2026. From then on, you can only increase the rent of your property every 12 months.
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What replaces Section 21?
Section 21 will be abolished and landlords will have to use Section 8s to evict tenants, providing the grounds can be argued to a court judge.
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What are valid Section 8 grounds?
There are many valid grounds, both mandatory and discretionary. If a landlord has a mandatory ground such as rent arrears or anti-social behaviour which applies to their tenant, if this is proven to be true, a judge will always grant possession to the landlord. A full list of the grounds can be found here.
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Can tenants have pets without permission?
Tenants must still declare that they have a pet, and must provide a written request to the landlord or agent before moving the pet into the property, whether at the start or during the tenancy.
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Do I need to change my tenancy agreement?
No, current tenancy agreements automatically convert into a periodic tenancy, on the basis that you served Information Sheet 2026 to the tenant. All new tenancies from 1st May 2026 must be put on a new assured periodic tenancy agreement (now known as an APT).
Final Thoughts: Prepare Now or Risk Falling Behind
So, you’ve done your research, you’ve read all the documents, and now you’re ready to take action.
Do you feel confident?
Do your current tenancies meet the new compliance rules?
If you are in any doubt, contact us for support and we will be happy to help. It is a very stressful and confusing time for landlords, but we aim to make the switch to the new legislation as seamless as possible, for all of our tenants and our landlords.
Overall, this is a positive step forward in the private rented sector and for the UK lettings market. Together, we can succeed in helping you own a profitable and hands-off property portfolio.
Contact Curlett Jones today for a full compliance audit on your property.
DISCLAIMER:The information provided in this article regarding the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 is for general informational purposes only. This article does not constitute legal or professional advice. Curlett Jones Estates accepts no liability for any errors, omissions, or losses arising from the use of this information.This article was written on 29th April 2026, and while we make every attempt to keep the information up to date in line with new legislation, please note that the law can change. We recommend that landlords and tenants consult the official government guidance on gov.uk or seek independent legal advice.
