14 Renters’ Rights Act Changes Coming May 2026 – What Landlords & Tenants Must Know Now
14 Renters’ Rights Act Changes Coming May 2026 – What Landlords & Tenants Must Know Now
We are just days away from the biggest private rental market reform for generations. Are you ready for its implementation?
The Renters’ Right Act has taken seven years to come to fruition and it’s been reinvented, renamed and reshaped several times. Therefore, we can forgive you for losing track or even losing interest along the way.
The law, however, is changing for tenants, landlords and their letting agents. This guide adds detail to Viewber’s previous blogs on the topic. It provides a clear and concise overview of the key reforms being implemented from 1st May 2026.
1. So called ‘No fault’ evictions: abolished
Perhaps the headline reform of the Renters’ Rights Act is the end of Section 21 evictions. They’re often known as ‘no fault’ evictions as the tenant can be asked to leave without a reason. From 1st May, however, a landlord must have a legally-valid reason to evict tenants. They must also use a Section 8 notice to start the process.
Each valid reason will have a set notice period, typically ranging from 2 weeks to 4 months. The exception will be tenants engaged in severe criminal or anti-social behaviour. They can be asked to leave immediately.
2. Grounds for possession: new & amended
• When selling a rental: there are several new and amended grounds to be aware of. Probably the most important is Ground1A – to be used by landlords who want to evict their tenants to sell the property. This reason can’t be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy, and the landlord must give 4 months’ notice before they are able to apply to court.
• When renting a HMO to students: Ground 4A is another new entry and pertains to student lets. It says landlords with Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) let out to full-time students can reclaim possession at the end of the academic year (1st June to 30th September), in order to let it to students again.
• When evicting due to rental arrears: Ground 8 is an existing reason to evict but from 1st May 2026, the threshold for when a landlord can start the eviction process is changing. A tenant needs to owe 3 months’ rent for a monthly tenancy (or 13 weeks’ rent for a weekly tenancy) for an eviction to be valid. This is up from 2 months’ rent for a monthly tenancy (or 8 weeks’ rent for a weekly tenancy). Ground 8’s notice period is also doubling, from 2 to 4 weeks’ notice.
All grounds and their notice periods are listed here >>
3. Rent increases: limited
Landlords will be limited to increasing rent to once a year. There will also be tight rules regarding how much they can increase the rent by. Any yearly rise must be in line with open market rates, described by the Government as ‘the price that would be achieved if the property was newly advertised to let’.
Landlords will have to use a Section 13 when they want to increase the rent, and they must use form 4A to notify the tenant. There are no exceptions to this rule. The notice period for a rent rise will be two months before the increase takes effect.
It will become easier for tenants to challenge a rent increase they think is unjust. They can mount a challenge with the First-tier tribunal for just £47, with no hearing fee. Tribunals will be banned from awarding a rent increase that is more than the landlord originally asked for, and the ability to backdate rent increases will also be abolished.
4. Rent in advance: capped
Landlords will no longer be allowed to request a tenant pay a large sum of rent in advance to secure a tenancy. Instead, rent in advance will be capped to one months’ rent. What remains unchained is a tenant’s right to voluntarily offer a lump sum rent payment to the landlord during the tenancy.
5. Discrimination: abolished
The Government doesn’t want tenants with certain characteristics to be unfairly treated when trying to rent a property. As such, a landlord won’t be able to exclude tenants from the application process just because they have children or are in receipt of benefits. Instead, judgements should be based on affordability and references, in line with Equality Act guidance.
6. Fixed term Assured Shorthold Tenancies: abolished
All existing fixed term Assured Shorthold Tenancies will automatically switch to Assured Periodic Tenancies on 1st May 2026. Periodic tenancies are also known as ‘rolling’ tenancies as there is no set end date. Renters will be able to end a tenancy when it suits them, as long as they give the landlord two months’ notice.
7. Bidding wars: abolished
The days of tenants outbidding each other to secure a property are over. Instead, a landlord or their letting agent must advertise a property at one price and only accept an offer that matches. It will become illegal to accept an offer higher that the figure advertised.
8. Right to request a pet: new
Tenants will have a new legal right to request to keep a pet in their home. The landlord must not reasonably refuse a request, and their decision must be in writing. If the landlord refuses, they must give a valid reason from a Government list. Tenants will gain the right to challenge a landlord’s pet refusal, either via the courts or by using a new private rented sector ombudsman.
9. The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet: new
Existing tenants who signed a contract before 1st May 2026 must be sent The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 before 31st May 2026.
Later in 2026
10. Private rented sector ombudsman: new
The Government is launching a new private rented sector ombudsman that landlords will be obliged to join. Tenants can ask the ombudsman to intervene and mediate on matters regarding fees, rents, maintenance, compliance and communication. Learn more about existing schemes like The Property Redress Scheme.
11. Private rented sector database: new
Landlords will also be required to sign up to a new private rented sector database. Tenants will be able to search this for free to find out who they’re renting from and check property safety documentation.
In the future
12. EPCs: amended
Currently, privately rented properties need an EPC of E or better to be classed as a legal let. This is changing. By 2030, all privately rented homes, with a few exemptions, will need an EPC of C or better. See how Viewber can help >>
13. Decent Homes Standard: new
A new Decent Homes Standard will be introduced in the private rental sector. This will ensure all rented homes are safer, more secure and hazard free.
14. Awaab’s Law: new
Awaab’s Law will give renters greater rights to challenge dangerous conditions in their homes. Landlords will become legally obliged to make repairs within a set time period.
Supporting increased property visits & inspections
Many of these changes will require landlords and letting agents to carry out property inspections and undertake repairs more frequently. This is especially true if the tenant is able to keep a pet, or if upgrades are needed to accommodate a Decent Homes Standard, Awaab’s Law and a new mandatory EPC rating.
Viewber is primed to support landlords and letting agents from 1st May 2026, with nationwide coverage and more than 5,000 Viewber members able to visit every property in the UK. Contact us to open your ‘pay as you go’ account.
