Tenant rights in England have changed more significantly in the past year than at any point in the previous decade. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and began coming into force from 1 May 2026, has fundamentally reshaped the legal relationship between private landlords and tenants.
If you are currently renting privately in England, some of those changes already affect you. Others are coming. Understanding what your rights actually are — under the law as it stands now, not as it stood three years ago — is essential for navigating a tenancy confidently, challenging unfair treatment, and knowing when a landlord is acting outside what the law permits.
This guide covers the core rights that matter in practice for private renters in England in 2026: security of tenure, protection from eviction, rent increases, repairs, deposits, and the right to a pet.
Security of Tenure: No More Fixed-Term Contracts
One of the most significant changes from 1 May 2026 is the abolition of fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs). From this date, all assured tenancies in the private rented sector become periodic — rolling week to week or month to month with no end date.
This means:
- There is no longer a fixed “end date” on your tenancy. You cannot be asked to leave simply because a fixed term has expired.
- Your tenancy continues indefinitely unless you choose to end it or your landlord has a valid legal reason to seek possession through the courts.
- You keep these rights even if your tenancy agreement still says “assured shorthold” — the new law overrides older wording.
If you want to leave, you must give your landlord at least two months’ notice under the new rules — slightly longer than the one-month notice many tenants previously had to give. You and your landlord can agree a shorter notice period if you both want to.
Read also- How to Change Address: Who to Notify
Protection From Eviction: Section 21 Is Abolished
The single most significant change for tenants is the abolition of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions. From 1 May 2026, a landlord cannot serve a Section 21 notice on a private tenant. There are no exceptions to this for new tenancies and no transition period that applies going forward.
Before this change, a landlord could ask a tenant to leave without giving any reason whatsoever, simply by serving a Section 21 notice with the required notice period. This was the most common tool for retaliatory evictions — landlords using the threat of eviction to discourage tenants from complaining about repairs or asserting other rights.
What this means in practice:
Your landlord can now only seek to end your tenancy by going to court and citing a valid legal ground under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988. Those grounds include:
- Rent arrears — typically at least two months’ arrears
- Anti-social behaviour — persistent behaviour causing nuisance to neighbours or the landlord
- The landlord wishing to sell the property — with a minimum two-month notice period
- The landlord or a close family member wishing to move into the property — again with minimum notice requirements
- Significant breach of the tenancy agreement — such as unauthorised subletting or causing serious damage
Even if a valid ground exists, the landlord must still apply to the court for a possession order. They cannot simply ask you to leave. This is a meaningful protection, particularly for tenants who need time to find alternative accommodation.
Retaliatory eviction protection has also been strengthened. A landlord cannot serve any eviction notice in retaliation for a tenant exercising their legal rights — including complaining about repairs, challenging a rent increase, or making a complaint to a letting agent or local authority.
Rent Increases: Your Rights and How to Challenge Them
From 1 May 2026, landlords in the private rented sector can only increase rent once per year. The process is:
- The landlord must serve a formal Section 13 notice specifying the new rent and the date from which it takes effect
- You must receive at least two months’ notice of any rent increase — up from one month previously
- The new rent must reflect market rent levels in your area — landlords cannot increase rent arbitrarily beyond what comparable properties are achieving
If you believe a rent increase is unfair, you have the right to challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). The Tribunal can review whether the proposed rent reflects market levels and can reduce it, confirm it, or adjust it. You have six months from the start of your tenancy to ask a tribunal to review your initial rent if you believe it was set above market levels.
A landlord cannot evict you for challenging a rent increase — this is explicitly prohibited under the Renters’ Rights Act.
Rent bidding wars are also now illegal. If you were asked to offer more than the advertised asking rent, or if a landlord was encouraging competing offers above the listed price, this is a breach of the new legislation. Landlords must stick to the advertised rent and cannot accept or encourage offers above it.
Advance Rent and Deposits
Advance rent is now capped at one month’s rent. A landlord cannot ask for or accept more than this — and councils have the power to fine landlords who do.
Tenancy deposits remain capped at five weeks’ rent for annual rents below £50,000, and six weeks’ rent for annual rents above that. Your landlord must protect any cash deposit in a government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme within 30 calendar days of receiving it. The three authorised schemes are:
- Deposit Protection Service (DPS)
- MyDeposits
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)
If your deposit has not been protected, you can apply to the courts. You may be entitled to between one and three times the deposit amount as compensation, and your landlord’s ability to serve an eviction notice may be compromised until the deposit is protected.
The Right to Repairs
Your landlord is legally required to keep your home safe and in good repair throughout your tenancy. This obligation is set out in Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.
Specifically, your landlord must maintain:
- The structure and exterior of the property — walls, roof, windows, doors, drains, and gutters
- Heating and hot water installations
- Gas, electricity, and water supply installations
- Sanitation — sinks, baths, showers, and toilets
How to enforce your right to repairs:
Report the problem to your landlord in writing and keep a record of all correspondence — email creates a dated, searchable record that is far more useful than a phone call if you need to escalate. If your landlord does not act within a reasonable time, your options include:
- Contacting your local council’s environmental health team, who can inspect the property and serve an improvement notice on the landlord
- Bringing a direct court claim under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act — you do not need to go via the council first
- Applying to the First-tier Tribunal for a rent reduction for the period during which the property was substandard
Awaab’s Law — which requires landlords to investigate reported hazards promptly and act quickly where there is a significant health risk — currently applies to the social housing sector. The government has confirmed its intention to extend these protections to the private rented sector under the Renters’ Rights Act, with consultation on the implementation timeline underway.
Read also- What to Do If Your Landlord Won’t Do Repairs
The Right to Keep a Pet
From 1 May 2026, you have the right to ask your landlord’s permission to keep a pet in your rented home. The process is:
- Make a written request to your landlord specifying the pet you want to keep
- Your landlord has four weeks to respond in writing — they can ask for more information about the pet, which gives them an additional week to decide
- Your landlord can only refuse if they have a reasonable and specific reason
- Any clause in your existing tenancy agreement that says you cannot have pets does not apply after the law changes
Your landlord can require you to take out pet insurance as a condition of granting permission. Tenancy clauses that categorically prohibit all pets regardless of circumstances are no longer enforceable under the new rules.
For official guidance on tenant rights under the Renters’ Rights Act, check: GOV.UK — private renting
The Private Rented Sector Ombudsman
One of the longer-term changes introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act is the creation of a new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman. Once established, this body will provide a free, independent dispute resolution service for tenants and landlords — covering complaints about repairs, deposit disputes, and tenancy management issues. The Ombudsman’s decisions will be legally binding. The database of all landlords and rental properties in England is also being rolled out gradually from late 2026.
London-Specific Context
The new tenant protections are particularly significant in London, where the private rented sector is disproportionately large. Approximately one in three London households rents privately, compared to around one in five nationally. The abolition of no-fault evictions and the cap on advance rent payments both address practices that were more common in London’s high-demand rental market than in most other parts of England.
London’s average private rent of approximately £2,200 per month for a two-bedroom property (Rightmove, early 2026) also means that any miscalculation on deposits, advance rent, or unlawful eviction carries higher financial stakes than elsewhere in the country.
For free housing advice and support, check: Shelter England — private renting rights
Conclusion
Tenant rights in England in 2026 are substantially stronger than they were 12 months ago. The Renters’ Rights Act has abolished no-fault evictions, ended fixed-term tenancies, capped rent increases, restricted advance rent, and given tenants explicit rights around pets, rent challenges, and retaliatory eviction.
Understanding these rights is the starting point. Exercising them confidently — reporting repairs in writing, challenging unfair rent increases through the tribunal, and knowing that eviction now requires a legal reason and a court process — is what they are for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord still evict me without a reason after 1 May 2026?
No — Section 21 no-fault evictions are abolished from 1 May 2026. Your landlord can only seek possession by applying to the court and citing a valid legal ground under Section 8, such as rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, or wishing to sell the property.
How much notice must my landlord give before increasing my rent?
From 1 May 2026, your landlord must give at least two months' notice of any rent increase using a formal Section 13 notice. Rent can only be increased once per year and must reflect market rent levels — you can challenge any increase you believe is excessive at the First-tier Tribunal.
How long does my landlord have to protect my deposit?
Your landlord must protect your deposit in a government-authorised scheme within 30 calendar days of receiving it. If they fail to do so, you may be entitled to between one and three times the deposit value as a penalty, and their ability to evict you may be affected.
