The UK's Renters' Rights Act 2025

It received Royal Assent in October 2025, will significantly

reform the private rented sector in England by abolishing

"no-fault" evictions and introducing new protections for

tenants. Key changes include the end of Section 21 evic-

tions, new rules for annual rent increases, a right for ten-

ants to request pets, and the requirement for landlords to

meet the Decent Homes Standard. The reforms will be

implemented in phases, with the first changes expected

to take effect in the coming months.

Key changes in the Renters' Rights Act

Evictions: The Act abolishes "no-fault" evictions under

Section 21, meaning landlords can no longer evict tenants

without a specific, valid reason, such as rent arrears or

anti-social behaviour. If a landlord wants to end the ten-

ancy to sell or move in, they will need to provide four

months' notice, and this cannot be done within the first 12

months of the tenancy.

Rent increases

Landlords can only increase rent once a year and must

provide a Section 13 notice. Tenants can challenge a rent

increase at a tribunal.

Pets: Tenants will have the right to request to keep a pet,

and landlords must have a good reason to refuse.

Property standards

Landlords will be required to meet the Decent Homes

Standard and address issues like damp and mould in a

timely manner, as mandated by Awaab's Law.

Tenancy structure: Fixed-term contracts will be replaced

with a "rolling" periodic tenancy basis.

Landlord obligations

A new, mandatory database for all landlords is being in-

troduced, and landlords will be required to register with a

new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman to resolve

disputes.

Deposit protection

The rules regarding deposit protection remain the same.

The maximum deposit a landlord can ask for is still five

weeks' rent if the annual rent is below £50,000, or six

weeks' rent if it's £50,000 or more.

Rental bidding

The Act will prohibit the practice of landlords and agents

holding rental property bidding wars.

Implementation timeline

The Act received Royal Assent on October 27, 2025.

Implementation will occur in phases, with the first

changes expected to take effect on May 1, 2026.

More specific implementation dates for other measures

are expected to be announced by the government.

Local Housing Authorities will gain new powers to invest-

igate potential breaches of housing law starting

December 27, 2025