Following on from my colleague Justine Soutter’s article published on the 25th September, the Renters’ Rights Bill finally achieved Royal Assent, and will be known as the Renters’ Right Act 2025 (Act).
The Act will significantly change the landscape of the private rented sector in England. The Act provides greater security and protection for tenants of residential properties.
Please be aware that the Act has not yet officially come into force as a formal implementation plan will need to be created by the government, as well as further advice being published to advise landlords and tenants. It would seem reasonable for the government to allow a six-month implementation period, which would mean that the majority of provisions will take effect by Spring 2026, however the abolishment of section 21 evictions will most likely come into effect by early 2026.
Some of the significant changes within the Act are set out below:
New residential tenancies will now not be able to be granted for a fixed term. All new residential tenancies will now continue until they are terminated under section 8 of the Housing Act 1988.
Previously, landlords were able to use section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 to evict tenants. This was known as the “no fault” eviction, which gave no protection to tenants. Now under the new Act, landlords will only be able to evict under the statutory grounds outlined in section 8 of the Housing Act 1988. This significantly changes how landlords can regain possession of their properties.
Previously, landlords could refuse tenants from having pets at the property for no reason. Now under the new Act, landlords must consider requests from tenants to have a pet within the property and cannot refuse without justification.
This gives more power to tenants who are now able to end their tenancy on their own terms. This impacts landlords and investors as rental income they receive can end very abruptly, adding further uncertainty for landlords and reducing their power over tenants.
There further changes which the Act has introduced which are outlined within Justine’s article. Please see the link below.
Update on the Renters’ Rights Bill – Warners Solicitors
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. All information was correct at the time of publication; however, the law may have changed since then. For the most up-to-date advice, please contact us directly. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for actions taken based on the information in this article.
