Renters’ Rights Act 2026: what changes for renting in England (and what it means for tenants)

For expats renting in England, these changes could affect the security of your tenancy, your housing costs, and what landlords are allowed to ask for when you sign a rental agreement.

Most existing tenancies are expected to convert automatically to the new system on 1 May 2026. This means that current tenants are unlikely to need to take any action or sign a new contract. However, it’s still important to understand what’s changing and how it affects your rights. This guide explains everything you need to know.

What is the Renters’ Rights Act (and when does it start)?

The Renters’ Rights Act is a major reform of England’s private rented sector (PRS). It was passed through parliament in October 2025, with Phase 1 taking effect from 1 May 2026.

The two big changes introduced by the Act are:

• The abolition of Section 21 (“no-fault”) evictions
• Replacement of fixed-term agreements (assured shorthold tenancies) with open-ended rolling agreements (assured periodic tenancies)

Other changes include controls on rent increases, the banning of “bidding wars”, and rule changes on pets and discrimination.

The UK government has planned two additional phases for the Renters’ Rights Act:

• Phase 2 (from late 2026): Regional rollout of a new digital PRS Database containing landlord/property details, and introduction of a PRS Landlord Ombudsman to settle disputes between tenants and landlords.
• Phase 3 (dates to follow consultation): Introduction of a new Decent Homes Standard (DHS) to ensure a minimum standard of PRS housing quality.

Does the Act apply to you? (Who’s covered — and who isn’t)

The Renters’ Rights Act affects both tenants and landlords in the PRS. It applies to those with an assured or assured shorthold tenancy (AST).

The Act does not cover:

• Lodgers living with a resident landlord
• Social housing tenancies
• Short-term holiday rentals and temporary Airbnb-style accommodation
• University halls of residence and some purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA)
• Most company accommodation let to employees

You can visit the UK government website or Shelter for full details of who the Act applies to, and rules covering different types of tenancy agreement.

Key changes from 1 May 2026 (what renters will notice first)

Here are the key Renters’ Rights Act 2026 changes that will take effect from 1 May 2026 (Phase 1).

1) Section 21 is abolished

Landlords can no longer issue Section 21 eviction notices from 1 May 2026. This will put an end to most “no fault” evictions, where a landlord can choose to end a tenancy without a reason as long as they give sufficient notice.

Under the new rules, landlords must use a Section 8 notice and provide a legal reason to end the tenancy. Reasons can include:

• Tenant(s) breaking the terms of the contract, e.g., serious rent arrears or antisocial behavior
• Landlord wanting to sell or move into the property (can’t be done in the first 12 months of a tenancy agreement and requires at least four months’ notice after this)

Section 8 notices must state the date by which the tenant should leave the property, and give the required notice period (depending on the reason). The landlord can apply to the courts for a possession order if the tenant doesn’t leave by the set date.

The abolition of Section 21 will provide more security and stability to tenants in England. If you are a private tenant and receive a Section 8 eviction notice, make sure that you don’t ignore it and check that the grounds for the notice are valid. Get housing advice as soon as you can if you are unsure about what to do.

2) Fixed-term tenancies end — most tenancies become “rolling”

From 1 May 2026, all assured tenancies and assured shorthold tenancies (AST) won’t have fixed end dates. Instead, all tenancies will become an open-ended (or “rolling”) assured periodic tenancy in England.

Existing tenancy agreements will convert automatically to assured periodic tenancies as of 1 May, so neither landlords nor tenants with ASTs need to do anything.

Under the new structure, your tenancy continues until:

• You leave with notice, or
• Your landlord ends the tenancy with a valid Section 8 notice

3) Tenants usually need to give 2 months’ notice to leave

Under the new laws, tenants can end the tenancy at any time instead of having to wait until the end of a contract period, which was the case with many fixed-term agreements. You will usually have to give at least two months’ notice in writing. This can be shorter if:

• Your tenancy agreement says you can give a shorter notice
• Your landlord agrees to a shorter notice period in writing

For practical purposes, tenancy agreements may stipulate that the notice date aligns with the contract start date (or “rent due date”). This makes things easier in terms of the final rent payment.

4) Rent increases: once per year (Section 13), with 2 months’ notice

The Renters’ Rights Act means that landlords can only increase the rent once per year. They must use the Section 13 process and give at least two months’ notice (via tenancy form 4).

Rent review clauses in existing contracts that allow for rent increases in other ways will no longer apply.

Furthermore, landlords can only increase rents in line with market rates. If a tenant believes the proposed increase is above the market rate, they can challenge it at the First-tier tribunal where the market rate will be determined. Tribunals cannot set rent higher than the landlord’s proposed amount (a risk that tenants have faced at past tribunals).

5) “Bidding wars” are banned

The Renters’ Rights Act will include a rental bidding ban in England. This is the practice of landlords or letting agents accepting offers above the asking price.

Under the new legislation, landlords and agents must advertise the asking rent for a property and it will be illegal to accept offers above this rate.

6) Big rent-upfront demands are restricted

Rent in advance will have a limit of one month. This ends the practice of landlords requesting large upfront payments (sometimes consisting of several months of rent) from tenants in order to secure a tenancy.

Landlords will now be restricted to asking for a maximum of one month’s rent in advance in the period between signing and the tenancy starting. Once the tenancy begins, landlords cannot demand that any rent is paid before the agreed due date.

It’s important to note that these new rules do not include the deposit, which is a separate protected upfront payment that can be up to the value of 5–6 weeks’ rent.

7) Stronger rules on discrimination (benefits + children)

The Renters’ Rights Act aims to end discrimination against those receiving benefits or with children from renting in England. It will address overt discrimination such as “No DSS” adverts, as well as indirect practices that may exclude these groups.

Landlords and agents can still carry out reference and affordability checks to ensure that they find suitable tenants, but these checks cannot disqualify applicants on the basis of having children or receiving benefits.

8) Right to keep a pet (landlord can’t “unreasonably refuse”)

Private tenants will have the right to request a pet in England from 1 May 2026. They must do this in writing and provide a description of the pet they wish to keep. Landlords must respond within 28 days (or within seven days where they have requested additional information) and they cannot refuse the request without fair reason.

Examples of reasonable refusals include:

• The property being too small for certain large pets or multiple pets
• Another tenant in the property has a pet allergy
• The pet is illegal to own in England

Unreasonable refusals include:

• Landlords not liking pets
• Previous bad experiences with tenants’ pets in the past
• Fears of damage to the property (the rental deposit can be used to cover costs)

Tenants who feel they have been unfairly refused the right to keep a pet can challenge the decision through the court, or through the PRS Ombudsman once this is in place.

What happens to existing tenancies in 2026? (transition rules)

Most existing ASTs automatically convert to an assured periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026. The terms of existing contracts will remain largely the same, apart from areas where new Renters’ Rights Act rules apply (e.g., abolition of Section 21 notices and fixed-term contracts, new rules on rent increases, notice periods, and pets).

Although Section 21 is abolished in May 2026, any existing valid possession notices (Section 21 or Section 8) served before this date still apply. In other words, if you received an eviction notice before 1 May 2026, you will still be expected to leave on or before the date listed in your notice.

Landlords with an eviction notice in place on 1 May 2026 must start court action to gain possession no later than 31 July 2026. The order expires if no court proceedings have begun by this date.

If you have received either a Section 21 or Section 8 notice before 1 May 2026 and you are unsure about your situation, or whether your notice is valid, you should seek advice from an organization such as Shelter, Citizens Advice, or the housing department of your local council.

Student renters and HMOs — what’s different?

The Renters’ Rights Act affects student rental and houses in multiple occupation (HMO) properties if they are AST rentals. In these cases, standard rule changes apply (e.g., end of Section 21 orders and fixed tenancies, new rules on pets).

If a landlord lets an HMO property specifically to students, they can issue a Ground 4A eviction notice if they need to let to new students for the new academic year (between 1 June and 30 September). They must give four months’ notice, as well as advance notice that they intend to use a Ground 4A notice at the end of the tenancy.

University halls of residence and purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) are not included in the Renters’ Rights Act changes as they operate under separate licensing agreements (typically considered “common law tenancies”). They can start eviction proceedings with a Ground 4 notice which needs to be issued at least two weeks in advance.

You can find out more information by visiting the National Union of Students (NUS) Housing Hub or GOV.UK.

As these rules can affect how and when students might need to move (and how quickly they may need to secure a new tenancy), it’s worth making sure you can pay rent, deposits, and bills easily and on time—especially if you’re sending money from abroad or managing more than one currency.

How Wise can help

With Wise, students can hold and convert money in multiple currencies and send payments internationally at the mid-market exchange rate, which can be helpful when paying a UK landlord/agent from overseas or moving funds between accounts when changing accommodation.

What stays the same

Not everything is changing on 1 May 2026. Here’s a brief overview of what will stay the same:

• Deposit protection: Tenants still have to pay an upfront rental deposit (capped at five weeks for annual rents below £50,000 and six weeks for annual rents above this); this still needs to be kept in a registered protection scheme
• Tenancy agreements: Tenants will still have to sign a legally binding agreement with their landlord, even though some of the terms will change
• Property maintenance: Landlords are still responsible for repairs, safety standards, and habitability
• Rules on tenant behavior and conduct: Tenants can still face eviction if they don’t pay rent on time, engage in antisocial behavior, or seriously damage the property
• Later reforms: Some changes, e.g., PRS Database, Decent Homes Standard, and Awaab’s Law for private rentals, will be phased in at a later date.

“What should I do now?” (practical checklist for expats)

Although many renters won’t necessarily have to do anything in advance of Renters’ Rights Act implementation, here is a useful checklist to help you prepare for the changes:

✅ Check which type of tenancy agreement you have; if it’s an assured or assured shorthold tenancy, the Act’s changes will apply to you

✅ Keep a “renting folder” of useful documents, including your tenancy agreement, deposit protection certificate, inventory, gas safety certificate, energy performance certificate (if provided), and any emails from your landlord or letting agency

✅ If you receive a Section 21 eviction notice, check the dates; if it’s sent after 1 May 2026, it’s invalid; if it’s before this date, court proceedings have to commence no later than 31 July 2026

✅ If you get a rent increase, make sure you get it in writing; remember that your landlord can only increase rent once annually, and it has to be in line with market rates; you can file for a First-tier tribunal if you feel your landlord is trying to increase excessively

✅ Put any requests for a pet in writing, giving a description of the pet along with size, and remember that your landlord must have a valid reason to refuse; consider taking out pet insurance to cover potential damage costs

✅ Remember that landlords can’t discriminate against you on the grounds of having children or receiving benefits

✅ If you receive a Section 8 notice, check that it’s valid and that you have been given adequate notice; remember that you can challenge through the courts, and seek advice if you are unsure about anything

✅ Keep an eye out for later phases of the Act, due from late 2026, which are likely to include the introduction of a PRS ombudsman and a minimum Decent Homes Standard for private rentals

Glossary of terms

Assured shorthold tenancy (AST)	The most common type of private rental agreement, outlawed as of 1 May 2026
Assured tenancy, or assured periodic tenancy	Rental agreement that gives tenants long-term security with rights to stay in the property indefinitely, and the landlord can only evict them on specific legal grounds.
Bidding war	Situation where multiple prospective tenants compete for a property by offering higher rent or better terms than others to secure it
Decent Homes Standard (DHS)	Government benchmark in England (applies to social housing and due to form part of phase 3 of the Renters’ Rights Act)
First-tier Tribunal	Independent body in England that resolves disputes between landlords and tenants
House of Multiple Occupation (HMO)	Property rented by three or more people from different households who share facilities like a kitchen or bathroom
Lodger	Person who rents a room in a home where the landlord also lives
No fault eviction	Process allowing a landlord to evict a tenant without giving a specific reason, provided they follow the legal notice requirements (outlawed under the 2026 Renters’ Rights Act)
Ombudsman	Independent service that investigates and resolves complaints between tenants and landlords without going to court
Private rental sector (PRS)	The part of the housing market consisting of privately owned properties rented out by landlords to tenants
Section 8 notice	Legal notice a landlord serves to start eviction proceedings based on specific grounds (e.g., rent arrears or breach of tenancy)
Section 21 notice	Legal notice used by landlords in England to evict tenants without needing to prove a fault
Tenancy agreement	Legal contract between a landlord and tenant that sets out the terms of renting a property
Tenancy deposit scheme	Government-approved scheme that protects a tenant’s deposit and ensures it is returned fairly at the end of a tenancy, unless deductions are justified

FAQ

When does the Renters’ Rights Act start in England?

Phase 1 of the Act comes into effect from 1 May 2026, with further phases planned from late 2026.

Is Section 21 definitely abolished from May 2026?

Yes, landlords can no longer issue Section 21 notices from May 2026. However, valid notices issued before this date are still effective. Court proceedings need to begin no later than 31 July 2026.

What happens to my fixed-term tenancy on 1 May 2026?

If you have a fixed-term assured shorthold tenancy (AST), it will automatically convert into an open-ended (rolling) assured periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026.

How much notice do I need to give to leave my rental?

From 1 May 2026, you will need to give at least two month’s notice to end your tenancy agreement, unless your agreement or a written letter from your landlord says you can do so earlier. You can give your required notice at any time.

Can my landlord still increase my rent? How often?

Yes, your landlord can increase your rent, but they can only do so once per year and the increase cannot exceed market rates.

Can I challenge a rent increase?

Yes, you can challenge a rent increase through a First-tier tribunal if you think it exceeds market rates. The tribunal can agree with the landlord or rule in your favor, but it cannot set the increase higher than the landlord’s proposed amount.

Can landlords still ask for 6–12 months’ rent upfront?

No. Under the new rules, landlords can only ask for a maximum of one month’s rent upfront. They can also ask for a deposit when you sign the contract (maximum 5–6 weeks)

Can my landlord refuse pets?

Your landlord must consider a written request for pets and reply within 28 days. They can only refuse with a justifiable reason (e.g., a pet is too large for the property). You can challenge your landlord’s refusal if you think it is unfair.

Does this apply in Scotland/Wales/Northern Ireland?

No. The Renters’ Rights Act applies to England only. Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have their own rental laws.

Useful resources

• GOV.UK — Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act
• GOV.UK — Implementation roadmap (phases + dates)
• GOV.UK — Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 (PDF)
• GOV.UK — Transition guidance: notices served before 1 May 2026
• GOV.UK — Pet requests guidance
• Shelter — Renters’ Rights Act changes for private renters