New rental laws take effect from 1 May 2026 – Here’s how your tenancy will change
New rental laws included in the Renters’ Rights Act will kick in from 1 May 2026, bringing major changes to all new and existing tenancies in England.
The Renters’ Rights Act passed into law in October 2025, bringing more protections and security for tenants living in England and ensuring that landlords are held accountable for not providing adequate housing.
The new laws are being implemented in stages. The first main phase will see the biggest changes to tenancies and will take effect from 1 May 2026.
After this date, the provisions of the Renters’ Rights Acts will automatically apply to both new and existing tenancies, meaning that tenants do not need to wait for their tenancy to be renewed in order to enjoy the protections offered by the legislation.
Below are the biggest changes coming to renters in England from 1 May 2026:
No more fixed-term tenancies
After the new rules take effect, fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (AST) will be a thing of the past.
Everyone with an AST will have their tenancy type changed to a periodic assured tenancy, and this will be the default assured tenancy type going forward.
Under this simpler tenancy structure, there will be no fixed date of termination for a tenancy. Instead, all tenancies will become ‘rolling’ tenancies where the landlord is unable to unilaterally end the tenancy unless they plan to take occupancy of the property or sell it.
Tenants will be able to terminate the tenancy whenever they wish, provided they give two months’ notice before the tenancy ends. Break clauses will no longer apply under this new tenancy structure.
Limited rent increases
Previously, landlords have been able to negotiate rent throughout the period of a tenancy, even multiple times a year.
Under the new laws taking effect from 1 May 2026, landlords will only have the opportunity to increase your rent once per year.
Before doing so, they are required to give tenants two months’ notice, and tenants who believe their rental increase is unfair may take their landlord to the newly established ombudsman for private renters, who will rule on the conflict.
No more no-fault evictions
The introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act officially abolishes ‘section 21’ evictions, which allowed landlords to evict tenants without providing a specific reason.
These ‘no-fault’ evictions will no longer be allowed, and landlords will now need a reason to evict tenants from their property, which can include taking occupancy or selling.
When a reason for eviction is given, the landlord must also provide sufficient notice, and the reason given can be contested by the tenant via a complaint to the ombudsman.
Limits to rent payable in advance
Many renters, especially in saturated markets such as London, will have been asked to pay for many months of rent in advance before signing a tenancy agreement.
From 1 May 2026, this practice will be quashed, and landlords will only be able to ask for one month’s rent in advance once the tenancy commences.
This will help to protect prospective tenants from large requests for rent in advance that are beyond their means, which would previously have prevented or discouraged them from renting.
No more bidding wars
Another feature of high-demand rental markets is the practice of bidding wars for properties, with letting agents or landlords effectively auctioning rental properties to tenants offering bids well above the advertised rent.
This led to instances where a prospective tenant would offer the asking price on a rental property, but would lose out to another tenant who would offer over the advertised rent.
As of 1 May 2026, landlords and agents will be prohibited from both asking for offers above the advertised rent and for accepting any offers above this figure.
An asking rent must be published for each rental property, and it will be illegal for landlords or agents to accept any offer above this rate.
Easier to keep a pet
Pet owners rejoice – landlords will no longer be able to deny your request to keep a pet without giving sufficient reason.
Under the new rules, tenants will have the right to ask for permission to keep a pet, and landlords must provide permission unless they have a good reason to forbid a pet in their property.
Protection against unfair hikes or poor practices
To help enforce these and other rules introduced in the Renters’ Rights Act, the government will introduce a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman that will provide quick, fair, impartial and binding resolution for tenants’ complaints about their landlord.
While landlords will only have to sign up to this ombudsman service by 2028, tenants will still be able to build cases on their complaints before its implementation, and in the meantime they will be protected from poor landlord practices by the new legislation.
Signing up to a new Private Rented Sector Database will be compulsory for all landlords managing assured and regulated tenancies, and they will face fines and penalties if they do not comply.
Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law
In addition to the changes to assured tenancies described above, further regulation is being introduced to improve the living conditions of tenants in England.
The upcoming reform of the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) will provide a set of requirements that ensure safe, secure housing is the standard people can expect in both social housing and private rented properties.
The specific requirements were laid out by the government earlier this year and will come into force in 2035.
Guidance for landlords and tenants related to the new DHS rules will be published later this year.
Another change aimed at improving the condition of rented housing is Awaab’s Law, named for the tragic death of a two-year-old due to prolonged exposure in a social rented home.
First introduced for social housing, the Renters’ Rights Act extends this protection to all private rented housing in England, ensure that all renters are empowered to challenge dangerous conditions and that all landlords must take swift action to deal with damp and mould.
Further details of the rollout of Awaab’s Law to private rented housing will be finalised in the future.
