Renters' Rights Act 2026 — What Changes on 1 May and What It Means for You

The Biggest Shake-Up to Renting in a Generation

On 1 May 2026, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 comes into force — the most significant overhaul of private rented sector law in more than 30 years. The changes affect almost every private tenant in England and happen automatically. You do not need to sign a new tenancy agreement or take any action.

If you rent privately in Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Islington, Newham, Haringey, or anywhere else in England, here is exactly what is changing and what it means for you.

1. Section 21 'No-Fault' Evictions Are Abolished

This is the headline change. From 1 May 2026, your landlord cannot serve you a Section 21 notice. Section 21 was the mechanism landlords used to evict tenants without giving any reason — often called a "no-fault" eviction. It is gone.

From now on, your landlord can only evict you if they have a specific legal reason — known as a "possession ground" under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988. These grounds include things like:

• Significant rent arrears
• Anti-social behaviour
• The landlord genuinely needing to sell the property
• The landlord or a close family member needing to move in
• Persistent failure to pay rent on time

If your landlord wants you to leave for any other reason, they cannot force you out. This gives you significantly more security of tenure.

2. Your Tenancy Becomes a Rolling Periodic Tenancy

From 1 May 2026, all assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) automatically convert to assured periodic tenancies. This means:

• If you have a fixed-term tenancy (for example, "12 months ending 30 September 2026"), the fixed term is abolished. Your tenancy becomes monthly and rolls on indefinitely.
• You can stay in your home until you choose to leave — or until your landlord has a valid legal ground to end the tenancy.
• Any break clause in your existing agreement becomes unenforceable by your landlord.
• You can end your tenancy by giving your landlord two months' written notice.

You do not need to sign anything new. This happens automatically on 1 May 2026 regardless of what your current agreement says.

3. Rent Can Only Be Increased Once a Year

Your landlord can only raise your rent once every 12 months, and only by using the formal Section 13 notice procedure. Any clause in your existing tenancy agreement that allows for more frequent rent increases — or that ties increases to an index like CPI or RPI — becomes null and void from 1 May 2026.

Crucially, you have the right to challenge a rent increase you believe is above market rate by referring it to a First-tier Tribunal. The Tribunal can determine what a fair market rent would be — and cannot set the rent higher than what your landlord proposed.

4. No More Than One Month's Rent in Advance

From 1 May 2026, landlords cannot demand more than one month's rent in advance. If your landlord or agent currently asks for multiple months' rent upfront — a practice that particularly disadvantages tenants on benefits or those with irregular income — this becomes unlawful.

Similarly, landlords cannot take any rent before the tenancy agreement is signed for new tenancies starting on or after 1 May 2026.

5. No Discrimination Against Benefit Recipients or Families with Children

It becomes unlawful from 1 May 2026 for landlords or agents to refuse to let to someone solely because they receive housing benefit or other welfare payments, or because they have children. Blanket "No DSS" policies are banned outright.

This is a significant change for many renters across our five boroughs, where high rents and benefit caps have pushed many households into the private rented sector while facing discrimination.

6. You Have a Contractual Right to Request a Pet

From 1 May 2026, you have a legal right to request to keep a pet in your home. Your landlord must consider your request fairly and respond within a set timeframe. They can only refuse if they have a reasonable justification.

Landlords will be able to require you to take out pet damage insurance as a condition of agreeing to a pet — but a blanket "no pets" policy in your tenancy agreement will no longer be enforceable.

What Your Landlord Must Send You by 31 May 2026

For existing tenancies (those signed before 1 May 2026), your landlord must send you the official government Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. This is a document produced by the government explaining the changes to your rights.

Your landlord must give you the physical PDF — they cannot simply send you a link to it. A copy must be given to every tenant named on the tenancy agreement. Failure to do so is an offence carrying a fine of up to £7,000.

If your landlord has not sent you this document by 31 May 2026, keep a record. It may be relevant to any future proceedings.

What Is Not Changing on 1 May 2026

The Renters' Rights Act is being rolled out in stages. The following are coming later and do not apply from 1 May 2026:

• A national landlord register (the Landlord Database) — rolling out from late 2026
• A new housing ombudsman for the private rented sector
• Awaab's Law (standards for hazard response timescales)
• The Decent Homes Standard applying to private rentals

What This Means If Your Landlord Has Broken the Law

The Renters' Rights Act strengthens your position going forward — but it does not wipe out claims you already have for past breaches. If your landlord failed to protect your deposit, did not serve Prescribed Information, or rented without the correct licence, those claims remain entirely valid and unaffected by the new law.

In fact, the abolition of Section 21 means landlords can no longer threaten you with a no-fault eviction notice as a way of discouraging you from pursuing a legitimate claim. You now have greater security to assert your rights without fear of retaliatory eviction.