The Renters Rights Bill Timetable

Phase 1

May 2026

• Abolition of Section 21
• Introduction of Assured Periodic Tenancies
• Reform of possession grounds under section 8
• Rent increases limited to once per year
• Ban on rental bidding and rent in advance
• It will become illegal for Landlords to discriminate against renters with children and /or those who receive benefits
• Landlords will be forced to consider a tenant’s request to keep a pet
• Increased local council enforcement and rent repayment orders.
• Landlords will be required to provide certain information to Tenants in writing about the terms of their tenancy, this is likely to be in the form of a tenancy agreement.
• Where Landlords have existing tenants on w written tenancy agreement, they will need to serve a government information sheet on or before the 31st May 2026 , which will inform tenants about the changes made by the Act- this document should be available from March 2026
• If a Landlord has a verbal tenancy with a Tenant they will need to serve a written summary of the main terms before 31st May 2026.

Phase 2

Late 2026

• Introduction of the Landlords Database and the Landlord Ombudsmen- this will be undertaken in two stages.
  • Stage 1- regional roll out of the Landlords Database
  • Stage 2- Further roll out of the database and introduction of the Landlord Ombudsmen
  • It is expected Landlord will need to sign up to the Ombudsman service in 2028.

Phase 3

Dates to Follow

• Introduction of the Decent homes standard
• Extension of Awaab’s Law to the private rented sectors.