Once the Renters’ Rights Act is fully implemented, landlords will need to do lots of things differently, and the failure to do many of them will expose the landlord to large fines.
This blog post contains clear free checklists, which explain what landlords and letting agents will need to do differently when the various provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act are in force. It also says which provisions came into force on 1 May 2026, and which are still to come.
For extra support and downloadable templates and checklists as fillable pdfs, you can join my membership, The Independent Landlord Hub, to help you take all the changes in your stride, in a supportive and secure “no ads” environment. As well as the fillable templates, you’ll find training courses and a fantastic forum. You can also ask me questions in twice-monthly live streams. All in a supportive ‘no ads’ environment, with no upselling of additional courses or sponsored posts.
Note that the tenancy reforms only apply to Assured Periodic Tenancies from 1 May 2026. They do not apply to high rent tenancies (annual rent above £100k), agreements with lodgers, leases to companies and tenancies regulated by the Rent Act 1977.
Last updated: 14 September 2026
>> Related Post: Rules for entering into new Assured Periodic Tenancy from 1 May 2026
Renters’ Rights Checklists: At a glance
Landlord checklist for letting property after the Renters’ Rights Act fully force
Here is a free checklist of all the new requirements that landlords will need to comply with before they let a property after the Renters’ Rights Act is fully in force. The checklist shows what is new and what hasn’t changed for new tenancies.
- The landlord must register with the PRS Landlord Ombudsman. Details still to be confirmed, likely to be in 2028. New.
- Have an active registration with the PRS Database (the “Register your rental property service”) for both the landlord (check it’s the correct legal entity if a limited company) and the property. Roll-out is on a regional basis, with deadlines for registration from 14 March to 14 November 2027. New. Regional roll-out in 2027.
- The listing / marketing for the property must state the “proposed rent”. See The new rules for rent under the Renters’ Rights Bill. New. In force since 1 May 2026.
- Must not accept offers for the property above the proposed rent set out in the listing or other advertisement. New. In force since 1 May 2026
- Must not market or let the property within the restricted period after using Ground 1 or 1A (12 months from the later of issuing a Section 8 notice using Ground 1 and 1A and the date on which a claim form or particulars of claim are filed with the court to bring proceedings for possession). New. In force since 1 May 2026
- The listing must not say “no DSS” or similar. Must not have a policy to reject applicants merely because they are in receipt of benefits. New. In force since 1 May 2026
- Rent period must not be longer than a calendar month. New. In force since 1 May 2026
- New tenancies must not have a fixed term. New. In force since 1 May 2026
- Cannot accept rent before tenancy agreement entered into. This includes first payment. New. In force since 1 May 2026
- Ensure the property meets the Decent Homes Standard. Details still to be confirmed, likely to be from 2035. New for PRS.
- Place any tenancy deposit of up to 5 weeks in an authorised tenancy deposit scheme and serve prescribed information within 30 days. No change.
- Give the tenant a written statement setting out basic information about the tenancy and both parties’ responsibilities before the tenancy is entered into. Information to be specified in regulations after Royal Assent. New. Since 1 May 2026 for new tenancies; by 31 May for existing tenancies.
- Can refuse to grant a tenancy to someone with a pet without having a good reason (only “tenants” have the right to have a pet unless the landlord has good reasons to refuse). No change.
- The tenancy must be an Assured Periodic Tenancy and not subject to a fixed term period, and not contain the right for landlord to terminate otherwise than in accordance with Section 8. In force since 1 May 2026
- Serve on tenant to date and valid gas safety certificate, EICR, and EPC. No change.
- Serve on tenant the latest How to Rent Checklist. Now discontinued
On-going compliance checklist after Renters’ Rights Act fully in force
Here is a free checklist of ongoing obligations that landlords will need to comply with after tenants have moved into the property, once the Renters’ Rights Act is fully in force:
- All existing tenancies will become periodic, if not already periodic. Do not treat them as if they are still fixed term. Make sure you do not use old ASTs with fixed terms once the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force. New. In force since 1 May 2026
- Rent increases must be via Section 13 (cannot use rent review clause or addendum, unless the landlord issued a Section 13 notice (a new Form 4A) and the parties agreed a lower rent). New. In force since 1 May 2026
- Renew the PRS Database and renew rental property registration each year. New. From 2027.
- Renew gas safety certificates and EICRs when they expire. No change.
- Update PRS Database when a new valid gas safety certificate, EICR, and EPC is issued. New. Comes into force in 2027, depending on the region.
- Update PRS Database when other information changes eg number of occupants, rent, change of freeholder. New. Comes into force in 2027, depending on the region.
- Check carbon monoxide and smoke alarms etc at least once a year (more for HMOs). No change.
- No “renewals” of fixed term tenancies. New. In force since 1 May 2026
- Ensure the property continues to meet the Decent Homes Standard. New. From 2035.
- Respond appropriately to reports of serious hazards within the requisite timeframes under “Awaab’s Law“. Details still to be confirmed. New. TBD.
- Respond to the tenant within 28 days of receipt of a written request from them for permission to have a pet. Must have reasonable grounds to refuse consent. New. In force since 1 May 2026
- Landlords will still need to comply with selective licensing and additional licensing obligations. No change.
- Do not attempt to terminate the tenancy or evict the tenant otherwise than in accordance with Section 8. (Before the RRA comes into effect, landlords can use Section 21 to end a tenancy). Landlords can receive a civil penalty of up to £7,000 if they now try to terminate a tenancy orally. New. In force since 1 May 2026
Transitional arrangements for the Renters’ Rights Act
The tenancy reforms, including the new tenancy regime in Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the Renters’ Rights Act, came into 1 May 2026 for both new and existing tenancies.
For existing tenancies, landlords must have provided an Information Sheet to tenants by 31 May 2026. This Information Sheet was published on GOV.UK in March 2026.
Landlords didn’t need to reissue tenancy agreements, but landlords who didn’t have a written tenancy agreement needed to issue a written statement to their tenants by 31 May 2026.
It will become mandatory for landlords to register relevant rental properties on the PRS Database in 2027. The Decent Homes Standard will come into force in 2035, and the government is due to consult on Awaab’s Law and the PRS Landlord Ombudsman.
>> Related Post: Renters’ Rights Act implementation guide
>> Related Post: Renters’ Rights Act: Transition rules for existing tenancies
I will keep this blog post updated when more information is forthcoming from the government as we move forward towards implementation.
Hi Suzanne, Thank you for all the info your are providing on the Renter Right Act, its very informative. I am about to Rent out my property from February 2025,
(5 Bed) at the present time the tenant is looking for a 3 year term and a fixed 3year rent. I was looking at cpi increase in rent of max 3% in year 2. However, having read RRA info, it would potentially mean the fixed term element and any % on rent increase, would no longer stand on the AST. Therefore I would have to look at the S13 if I was to look at a rent increase potentially. I guess my question is, I guess there will be further costs for the change over to the new ‘RRA’ interms of agreement, via the letting agent. I know that this is all still to be confirmed next year. My question I guess is my AST will go live in February and potentially in 6mths, a new form of agreement will be setup via letting agent and will be further costs. Any thoughts on this please? Thank you Donna
Hello Donna. If you enter into a fixed term agreement for 3 years with a rent review clause, when the Act comes into force, it will become a periodic tenancy and the rent review clause will be invalid.
You’d then need to increase rent using a s13 notice, as you say.
It’s not 100% clear if we’ll need to re-issue the agreements when it comes into effect. I’m sure the NRLA will publish new agreements in any event.
Hi Suzanne,
Thank you for all the great advice/guidance. 🙂
You mention “rent-to-rent” in the video.
I’ve recently heard of a council scheme whereby the coucil lease property from an owner in order to use it as temporary accommodation.
This sounds like it’s rent-to-rent that you’re (for good reason) warning against.
However, I have also read that the Renters Rights’ Act – when it comes in – won’t apply to temporary accommodation???
Many thanks,
Amanda
Leasing it to a council is lower risk that to a private “rent to rent” operator. The RRA won’t apply to situations where the accommodation is not the sole or principal home of the occupant, or where it’s more like serviced accommodation, and the new Ground 5G of section 8 will cover the situation where it is their principal home, but the council has been exercising their homelessness duty. You can read more here: https://theindependentlandlord.com/rrb-grounds/
Can’t thank you enough Suzanne – you are a truly wonderful person for sharing all your knowledge for free with the world! 🙂
Thank you 😊
Hello Suzanne
First, thank you so much for all that you do on this website. You are so generous sharing your time and knowledge.
Could I just ask please, for some years I have been letting a house on subsidised terms to my daughter and son-in-law. I declare the rental income and pay the tax! There has never been any tenancy agreement or other paperwork in place. Will all this have to change with the incoming Act.
Thank you again, Ian
Hello, yes. Anyone who pays more than £250 pa outside of London and £1,000 pa in London in rent, it’s their sole/primary home and they don’t share common parts with a live in landlord, will be a tenant under an assured tenancy (just as they are tenants under an AST, even if no written contract). The new rules inc the rule to give a written statement of terms will apply to you. You can find out more on what an AST is in this post. ASTs will become assured tenancies when it comes into force. https://theindependentlandlord.com/resources/property-investors-glossary/assured-shorthold-tenancy/
Hi Suzanne, I currently have 4 tenants and 2 are leaving at the end of the fixed term. The remaining 2 will find 2 new tenants. I have always had a joint and several contract. I am assuming that at the start of the new foursome renting from me ( September 1) I still give an AST for a fixed term which will change to a periodic when the time comes. If in the future 1 tenant wants to leave ( giving correct notice) do I then have to issue a new contract to all 4, in order to keep things joint and several to protect my monthly rent. ie I want them to know that the entire house rent is due at all times, so they undertake to find a replacement tenant for the one who is leaving. Any advice on this is much appreciated.
Many thanks.
When the Bill comes into force, any one tenant will be able to terminate the whole tenancy at any time with 2 months’ notice. Therefore your rent will only be protected for 2 months.
Presumably though the tenancy will end and the three remaining will have to decide whether they want to move out, continue paying the same rent as a threesome or find a fourth person. The later two options presumably create a new tenancy and so could attract a rent increase without the use of a Section 13 ?
I notice that Section 7 “Challenging amount or increase in rent”
(3) A1 The tenant under an assured tenancy … may make an application to the appropriate tribunal for the purpose of challenging the rent payable under the tenancy.
IIUC, it then goes on to say that this can only be done in the first 6 months.
Is this Rent Capping by stealth ? Seems you can agree Rent £X, sign up, pay the first months rent and then immediately challenge it in a tribunal.
I first thought this was just an old assured tenancy (rather than an assured shorthold tenancy), but several places in the act replace the word shorthold with just assured, so I’m now assuming this is all tenancies ?
Tenants can already challenge rent in the first 6 months, so that’s not a change.
I have licenced student HMOs and am wondering if I will have to continue paying for the licences and pay to go on the new database when it’s up and running. More and more of my students rent is being skimmed off by third parties!
Thank you
Yes you will still ned to keep paying for the licences as they will be separate from the Database.
Hello Suzanne. Congratulations for your book and thanks for the website. I am a private landlord. I let my house as shared accommodation and have registered the additional licensing. I have 4 tenants of whom one just left and I intend to serve notice under section 8 reason 1A to the 3 other tenants in situ. 1 of my tenants who has been renting for 5 years wants to stay after the 4 months notice and threatens to challenge eviction to tier one tribunal arguing it will be difficult for him to find new accommodation (she is 60 years old, unemployed and has a medical condition). He is asking me to sell the house tenants in situ so they remain in the house. Can you please advise on how I should tackle this issue and the likelihood that the tenant remains and stops the sale. Regards
It sounds as if you need legal advice, which is something I can’t give.
Hi Suzanne, I have just joined and need do some reading on your site but in the meantime can you tell me if there is a template available of the Information Sheet in your library.
You need to use the Information Sheet from the government website – I have the link in this blog post: https://theindependentlandlord.com/renters-rights-information-sheet/
Hi Suzanne,
Thank you for this site and for sharing your knowledge. This site has been my go to for everything RRA related. Can I check 2 things please; (1) if before 1 May the tenant continued as a statutory periodic tenant, then does that count as a current tenancy and (2) can a landlord take a holding deposit to secure a rental?
Thank you. I’m sorry that I don’t give advice in the comments. If you’d like my thoughts, please join my membership The Independent Landlord Hub.