Renters’ Rights Act: 6 Weeks In

The private rented sector hasn’t seen change on this scale since the late 1980s. Phase one of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 came into force on 1 May 2026, and six weeks on, the dust is beginning to settle. If you’re currently renting, about to start a tenancy, or simply trying to understand what these reforms mean for you, this article covers the key changes, what they mean in practice, and a few emerging realities that are worth knowing.

What the Renters’ Rights Act Is Trying to Do

The Act is designed to rebalance the relationship between tenants and landlords. Around 4.7 million households in England, roughly 11 million people, rent privately (English Private Landlord Survey, 2024/25). That’s 19% of all households. For a tenure of that scale, the legal framework had become significantly outdated. The Act addresses that directly.

The reforms are being introduced in phases. Phase one is live. Later phases will bring further changes, including the introduction of a new Private Rented Sector Database and a new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman. But the changes already in effect are substantial.

The Six Key Changes from 1 May 2026

1. Section 21 “No-Fault” Evictions Are Gone

This is the headline change. From 1 May 2026, landlords can no longer serve a Section 21 notice. That means your landlord cannot ask you to leave simply because they want the property back, without giving a legally recognised reason.

If a landlord wants possession now, they must use a Section 8 notice and cite one of the specified legal grounds. These include serious rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, or the landlord genuinely needing to sell or move into the property. The burden is on the landlord to demonstrate the ground applies.

One important transitional detail: any Section 21 notice served on or before 30 April 2026 remains valid, but court proceedings must have been started by 31 July 2026. After that date, those notices expire.

2. All Tenancies Are Now Periodic

Fixed-term tenancies no longer exist in the private rented sector. Every tenancy, whether it started before or after 1 May 2026, is now an assured periodic tenancy. If you had a twelve-month AST that hadn’t yet ended, it converted automatically on 1 May 2026 without you needing to sign anything new.

What this means for you as a tenant: you’re no longer locked into a fixed term. You can end your tenancy at any point by giving two months’ written notice. You don’t need to wait for a renewal date or negotiate an exit.

For tenants who felt trapped in unsuitable accommodation because they were mid-term, this is a meaningful shift.

3. Rent Increases Are Now Restricted to Once a Year

Any rent review clauses written into tenancy agreements before 1 May 2026 can no longer be used to raise your rent. From now on, landlords must follow the Section 13 process, which means:

• Rent can only be increased once in any twelve-month period
• You must receive at least two months’ written notice of any proposed increase
• The notice must be given using the new Form 4A
• Any increase must reflect the open market rent for the property

Crucially, you have the right to challenge a proposed rent increase at the First-tier Tribunal if you believe it doesn’t reflect the market rate. You don’t have to simply accept a figure your landlord sets. Citizens Advice has guidance on how that process works.

4. Rental Bidding Wars Are Banned, and Advance Rent Is Capped

If you’ve tried to rent in Birmingham or Solihull recently, you’ll know how competitive the market has been. Practices like offering several months’ rent upfront to beat other applicants, or being pressured into bidding above the advertised price, are now illegal.

From 1 May 2026, landlords cannot accept or solicit offers above the advertised rent. They also cannot require more than one month’s rent in advance before a tenancy begins. This is a direct protection for tenants who were previously disadvantaged if they couldn’t produce large upfront sums.

5. You Have a Right to Request a Pet

Under Section 11 of the Act, you can now formally request permission to keep a pet in your rented home. Your landlord cannot refuse without a reasonable justification. Once you make the request in writing, your landlord has 28 days to respond.

This doesn’t mean automatic approval. Landlords can still say no if they have a genuine reason, and they may ask you to take out pet damage insurance as a condition of consent. But the blanket “no pets” policy that many tenants encountered is no longer a legally defensible default.

6. Discrimination on Benefits or Family Status Is Prohibited

Landlords can no longer reject tenants as a blanket policy on the basis that they receive housing benefit or Universal Credit, or because they have children. Affordability and referencing checks are still permitted, but a tenant’s income source or family composition cannot be used as an automatic disqualifier.

This matters particularly in areas like Birmingham, where a significant proportion of the private rented sector is occupied by households receiving some form of housing support.

What Landlords Were Required to Do by 31 May 2026

One detail tenants should be aware of: landlords with existing tenancies were required to provide all named tenants with the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026. This document explains how the reforms affect your tenancy.

If you haven’t received this, you should ask your landlord or letting agent for it. Failure to provide it can result in fines of up to £7,000 per breach, rising to £40,000 for repeated non-compliance (gov.uk, 2026). You are entitled to it.

What’s Happening in Practice, Six Weeks On

The reforms are broadly positive for tenants, but there are some practical realities worth understanding.

Court Delays Remain a Serious Issue

Section 21 notices have gone, but the courts are not yet equipped to handle the volume of Section 8 cases that now replace them. The median time from a possession claim being issued to a landlord actually regaining the property is currently 27.4 weeks, up from 24.4 weeks in the same period in 2024 (Ministry of Justice, 2026). The NRLA has warned that without court reform, the system risks becoming overwhelmed.

For tenants, this is largely a background issue. But it’s worth knowing that if a landlord does pursue possession through Section 8 on legitimate grounds, the process is slow. You have time to seek advice. Shelter offers free guidance on responding to possession claims.

Some Landlords Are Selling Up

There has been a notable, if contested, increase in landlords listing properties for sale since the Act came into force. Whether this represents a genuine structural shift or a short-term reaction remains to be seen, but in a city the size of Birmingham, reduced rental stock can push rents upward. The bidding war ban helps, but supply and demand still operates within the rules.

The Act Is Still Bedding In

The government’s own guidance page for the Act was updated as recently as 8 June 2026, reflecting ongoing clarifications. Phases two and three, including the new database and ombudsman, are expected to follow over the coming months. The target for full court digitisation is April/May 2027. This is a live situation, and guidance from authoritative sources like gov.uk is worth checking as further implementation dates are confirmed.

A Quick-Reference Summary of Phase One Rights

If you’re renting in Birmingham or Solihull and want to understand how these changes apply to your specific situation, the team at Partridge Homes can help you navigate the process. You can contact us directly, or browse our current rental listings to find a property where your rights under the new Act are fully understood from day one.