Renters Rights Act 2025 and other changes in 2026
The Renters Rights Act 2025 has reshaped the lettings landscape significantly and changed many processes and regulations. Phase 1 was introduced in May 2026 with Phase 2 and 3 due to take place in the coming months and years.
From 1st May 2026, Government Tenancy Information Sheets must have been served within 30 days to existing AST tenancies, and in some cases a Written Statement of Terms also (in the instance only a verbal tenancy agreement was granted). In addition to this:
- Section 21 Notices (no fault eviction notices) were abolished
- All Housing Act tenancies converted to periodic tenancies
- Additional grounds to Section 8 of the Housing Act were introduced for possession of a property
- Rent increases only by Section 13 Notice going forward
- End to rent bidding where a Landlord or Agent cannot accept any offers of rent higher than the advertised rent
- No more rent in advance – a tenancy must be granted before rent is invoiced and only for the period of the tenancy
- Illegal to discriminate against children and benefits
- No unreasonably refused pet requests
- Restrictive periods introduced with letting a property and repossession
There were also changes to Winter Lets and Student Lets, changing the housing landscape altogether. When tenancies converted to periodic, the notice period a Tenant must give to end the tenancy will increase from 1 month to 2 months’ notice, unless agreed otherwise. If a Tenancy Agreement states a 1 month notice period, this is considered agreed otherwise.
Phase 2 will bring with it the roll out of the Private Rented Sector Government Database. Signing up to the PRS Database will be mandatory for all landlords and they will be required to pay an annual fee which the government are due to confirm. It is likely the database will require the Landlord’s full name, contact details, property details (such as address, type of property, bedrooms, furnishing etc) and safety certificates information. The Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman will also be addressed in Phase 2 which will also be a legal requirement for all landlords. The government have stated the Ombudsman requirement will likely come into effect around 2028 once the Secretary of State is confident the new service is ready for delivery.
Phase 3 will bring in the Decent Homes Standards and Awaab’s Law to the Private Rented Sector. The Decent Homes Standard will ensure all property meets a minimum standard of quality and Awaab’s Law will ensure Landlords act accordingly and responsibly to reports of mould and damp in the home within strict timeframes. As part of the Decent Homes Standards, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System will also be reviewed. it is anticipated these changes will come into effect from 2035-2037. It is also proposed that the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard will increase to a C rating with stricter exemption rules by 2030.
Government changes Making Tax Digital may impact you as a Landlord, please see the following link for further details https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-youre-eligible-for-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax.
We are proud to confirm that our company is proactively monitoring all legislative developments, supported by Propertymark—the leading professional body within the property sector—as well as an independent Compliance Specialist Consultancy. This ensures we can provide our clients with accurate, up-to-date guidance as the industry evolves.
To maintain the highest standards, every member of the Dorset Property team is supported by our comprehensive training programmes. This investment in our people ensures we remain fully compliant and perfectly positioned to support our clients through every aspect of these upcoming changes.
If you have any questions or concerns about these changes, please contact one of our professionals today and we would be happy to help.
