The Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into force on 1 May 2026 and introduced the most significant package of tenant protections in the private rented sector in England for a generation. Whether you are in an existing tenancy or searching for a new home, understanding what the law now guarantees is the most practical foundation for navigating the rental market with confidence.
Security of tenure
Fixed-term tenancies no longer exist in England's private rented sector. From 1 May 2026, all assured tenancies became open-ended periodic agreements with no automatic end date. You can remain in your home for as long as you meet your obligations, without the pressure of approaching end dates or renewal negotiations.
To end your tenancy, you give at least two months' written notice ending on a rent payment date. Your landlord, by contrast, can only regain possession through Section 8, which requires a specific and legally recognised ground. The most commonly relevant grounds include significant rent arrears, the landlord's intention to sell the property, or the need for the landlord or a close family member to move in.
In each case, specific notice periods apply and the ground must be evidenced. For the first twelve months of any tenancy, your landlord cannot use sale or owner-occupation grounds to seek possession at all.
Rent increase protections
Your landlord can increase your rent once every twelve months, and only by following the formal Section 13 process. This requires completing a government form and giving you at least two months' written notice of the proposed new rent. Any rent review clause in your tenancy agreement is now void and cannot be used to trigger an increase outside this process.
If you consider a proposed increase to be above the open market rate for comparable properties in your area, you have the right to challenge it free of charge at the First-tier Tribunal. The Tribunal assesses the market rent and sets it accordingly. It cannot set the rent higher than your landlord proposed, so there is no financial risk to you in making a referral.
Protection from bidding wars and excessive advance rent
Your landlord and their agent must advertise a fixed asking rent and cannot invite or accept offers above it. Bidding wars are unlawful. Advance rent payments are capped at one month, even if you offer more voluntarily.
The right to request a pet
You have a legal right to submit a written request to keep a pet in your rental home. Your landlord must respond within 28 days. A blanket refusal without documented reasonable grounds is not a lawful response. The landlord may require you to arrange pet damage insurance as a condition of approval but cannot simply decline without justification.
Protection from discrimination
A landlord cannot refuse to rent to you on the grounds that you have children or that you receive benefits. Advertising a property as unsuitable for either group is also unlawful from 1 May 2026.
Your deposit
Your landlord must protect your deposit in one of the three government-approved tenancy deposit schemes within 30 days of receiving it. You can check whether your deposit is protected at any time by searching any of the three schemes online. An unprotected deposit is a serious breach carrying financial penalties for your landlord and potential compensation for you. At the end of your tenancy, any deductions from your deposit must be evidenced and disputed deductions can be resolved through your scheme's free dispute resolution service.
Your information rights
You are entitled to receive the government's How to Rent guide at the start of your tenancy. If you are an existing tenant, your landlord was required to provide you with the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026. These documents set out your rights and are a useful reference throughout your tenancy.
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