Renters’ Rights Act 2025

Renters’ Rights Act 2025: A 2026 Guide for Letting Agents and Property Managers

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has brought major changes to England’s private rented sector. For letting agents and property managers, the focus is no longer simply on preparing for reform. The first major changes are already in force.

From 1 May 2026, Section 21 was abolished for assured tenancies in the private rented sector and the new tenancy system came into effect. Existing assured shorthold tenancies moved into the new assured periodic tenancy system, alongside significant changes to possession, rent increases, rental bidding and tenant rights.

For agencies managing large portfolios, these changes make accurate records, consistent processes and independent property reporting increasingly important.

What Is the Renters’ Rights Act 2025?

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 is a major reform of private renting in England.

The legislation is being implemented in phases. The first phase came into force on 1 May 2026 and introduced some of the most significant changes to tenancy management in decades.

Further measures, including the Private Rented Sector Database and Landlord Ombudsman, are being introduced through later phases. Changes connected with the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law will also follow separately, subject to the government’s implementation timetable.

For letting agents and property managers, this means compliance should be treated as an ongoing process rather than a single legislative deadline.

Section 21 Has Been Abolished

One of the biggest changes introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act is the abolition of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions.

Since 1 May 2026, landlords can no longer serve a new Section 21 notice for assured tenancies in the private rented sector. Where possession is required, landlords generally need to rely on the reformed Section 8 possession grounds and demonstrate that the relevant ground applies.

This increases the importance of evidence.

Letting agents and property managers need clear, well-organised records that can help establish what happened during a tenancy. Depending on the circumstances, this could include tenancy documents, rent records, communications, maintenance records, inventories, check-in reports, routine visit records and check-out reports.

Professional documentation has therefore become an even more important part of effective property management.

Assured Periodic Tenancies Replace the Old AST Model

The reforms also changed the structure of most private rented tenancies.

Existing assured shorthold tenancies moved to assured periodic tenancies, while new qualifying tenancies are also generally created on a periodic basis.

Rather than relying on the traditional six or twelve-month fixed-term AST model, tenancies continue on a rolling basis until the tenant gives notice or the landlord obtains possession using an appropriate legal ground.

Tenants can normally end an assured periodic tenancy by providing two months’ notice.

For agents, this means tenancy administration, landlord communication and portfolio forecasting all need to reflect a more flexible rental market.

Rent Increases Now Follow a Defined Process

Rent reviews have also changed.

For assured periodic tenancies, landlords generally need to use the statutory Section 13 process to increase rent. Increases are normally limited to once per year and tenants must receive at least two months’ notice using the prescribed process.

Tenants can challenge a proposed increase through the First-tier Tribunal if they believe it exceeds the open market rent.

For letting agents, consistent rental valuations and reliable comparable evidence are therefore increasingly useful when advising clients on proposed rent increases.

Rental Bidding Is Banned

The Renters’ Rights Act has also changed how rental properties can be marketed.

Letting agents and landlords must advertise a clear asking rent and cannot encourage or accept offers above that advertised figure.

This means practices such as inviting prospective tenants to compete by offering more than the advertised rent are no longer permitted.

Marketing, applicant communications and staff procedures should all reflect the new requirements.

Requests to Keep Pets

Tenants now have stronger rights when requesting permission to keep a pet.

Landlords must properly consider a tenant’s request and cannot unreasonably refuse it. An initial response is generally required within 28 days, although the rules allow for certain circumstances where additional information or consent is needed.

For agents, the practical issue is not simply dealing with the request. It is also documenting the property’s condition effectively.

A detailed inventory and check-in report, supported by clear photographs, provides an objective record of condition at the beginning of the tenancy. Routine visits and periodic property reports can then document relevant changes during the tenancy, while the check-out report provides evidence at the end.

This creates a much clearer audit trail if damage or deposit disputes arise.

Discrimination in the Rental Market

The Act also strengthens protections around access to rented homes.

Blanket policies excluding applicants simply because they have children or receive benefits are prohibited. Agencies should ensure their marketing, applicant screening and internal processes assess applicants appropriately rather than relying on blanket exclusions.

This sits alongside existing obligations under equality legislation and the separate Right to Rent regime.

What About Right to Rent Checks in 2026?

Right to Rent has not been replaced by the Renters’ Rights Act.

Letting agents and landlords in England must still establish the Right to Rent of adult occupiers before a tenancy begins. Depending on the applicant’s circumstances, this may involve a manual document check, a Home Office online check using a share code, or an approved digital identity process.

The growth of eVisas and digital immigration status means online verification is now an important part of the process.

Where someone has a time-limited Right to Rent, follow-up checks may also be required. Agencies responsible for these checks should have clearly documented procedures and retain the evidence required to establish a statutory excuse.

Importantly, Right to Rent checks should be applied consistently. Agents should not select applicants for checking based on assumptions about nationality or immigration status.

The PRS Database and Landlord Ombudsman

The reforms do not stop with the changes introduced in May 2026.

The government’s implementation programme includes a new Private Rented Sector Database, designed to bring together important information about landlords, properties and compliance.

A Landlord Ombudsman is also being introduced to provide a formal route for resolving disputes between tenants and landlords.

These reforms increase the emphasis on transparency and demonstrable compliance across professionally managed portfolios.

For letting agents, having organised property records and a reliable audit trail will make it easier to demonstrate how a property has been managed and how issues have been addressed.

Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law

The Renters’ Rights Act provides for the Decent Homes Standard to be extended to the private rented sector and for Awaab’s Law requirements to apply to privately rented homes.

However, these measures are part of a later implementation phase. Detailed requirements and commencement dates are being developed separately.

Agents should therefore prepare for higher expectations around property condition, hazards, damp, mould, repairs and evidence of action, while continuing to follow the legislation and standards already in force.

This is another reason why routine visits and detailed periodic property reports should form part of a well-managed portfolio.

Why Property Reporting Matters More After the Renters’ Rights Act

The direction of travel across the private rented sector is clear: better standards, greater transparency and stronger evidence of professional property management.

A property report does more than record how a property looks on a particular day. When carried out consistently throughout the tenancy lifecycle, reporting can help create an independent evidence trail showing condition, contents, maintenance concerns and changes over time.

For letting agents managing hundreds or thousands of properties, consistency is particularly important.

No Letting Go provides professional property reporting through a national network of experienced inventory professionals, supported by technology designed specifically for the lettings industry.

No Letting Go Property Reporting Services

• Professional property inventories
• Check-in reports
• Routine visits and periodic property reports
• Check-out reports
• Vacant property reports
• Pre-tenancy services
• Digital property reporting and audit trails

This gives letting agents access to a scalable outsourced reporting service without having to build and manage an equivalent in-house operation.

Preparing Your Agency for the New PRS

The Renters’ Rights Act changes the way tenancies are created, managed and ended. For letting agents and property managers, good processes need to be backed by good evidence.

Review tenancy procedures, possession workflows, rent-review processes, applicant policies, Right to Rent procedures and property reporting standards across your managed portfolio. Just as importantly, make sure records can be found quickly when they are needed.

No Letting Go supports letting agents and property managers across England with independent, professional property reporting throughout the tenancy lifecycle.

With national coverage, experienced local inventory professionals and digital reporting technology, we help agencies build the clear property records they need in a more regulated private rented sector.

Need Reliable Property Reporting Across Your Portfolio?

Whether you manage properties locally, regionally or nationwide, No Letting Go can provide consistent inventories, check-ins, routine visits, periodic property reports and check-outs through one professional network.

Contact No Letting Go to discuss property reporting for your managed portfolio.

This guide is provided for general information and does not constitute legal advice. Letting agents and property managers should refer to current government guidance and obtain professional legal advice where appropriate.