Renter’s Rights Act for tenants
From the 1 May 2026, private renting is changing.
As a tenant, you’ll face fewer barriers when you’re looking for a property to rent. You’ll have more security and stability once you’re in the property.
Read the Renters’ Rights Act for tenants on GOV.UK’s website
Starting and ending tenancies
Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction notices will be abolished.
Your landlord will no longer be able to use Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 to evict you.
Your landlord will only be able to evict you when they have a specific, legally valid reason. This is known as a ‘possession ground’. This includes if they need to sell or move into the property.
Fixed term tenancies
Fixed term tenancies will be banned.
All new and most existing tenancies in the private rented sector will become assured periodic tenancies or ‘rolling tenancies’.
This means you’ll be able to stay in the property until you decide to end the tenancy or until a landlord issues a valid notice or has a court/possession order.
See GOV.UK guidance for tenants on assured periodic tenancy and notices of possession served before 1 May 2026.
Rent increases and payments
Rent increases will be limited to once per year.
Your landlord will need to follow the new legal process for increasing the rent.
They’ll need to provide you with a notice and details of the rent increase at least two months before it takes effect.
If you think the proposed rent increase is higher than the property’s market value, you’ll can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal.
See GOV.UK’s guidance for tenants on rent increases
Rental bidding
Landlords and letting agents must publish the asking rent for the property in any written advert.
They won’t be allowed to ask for or accept an offer that’s higher than this.
See GOV.UK’s guidance for tenants on rental bidding
Advance rent
Your landlord will not be able to ask you for more than one month’s rent in the time between all parties signing the tenancy and the tenancy starting
All parties will need to have signed the tenancy agreement before any rent is paid
After the tenancy has started, your landlord cannot ask for rent to be paid before its due date.
See GOV.UK guidance for tenants on rent in advance
Rental discrimination
A landlord or a letting agent, will not be able to do anything that makes it less likely for you to rent a property because you have children or receive benefits
this includes withholding information about a property (including its availability), preventing you from viewing it or refusing to grant you a tenancy .
See GOV.UK’s guidance for tenants on rental discrimination
Rights to request a pet
You’ll be able to request to have a pet.
Your landlord must consider your written request within a set timeframe. They should provide you with valid reasons if they choose to refuse it.
See GOV.UK’s guidance for tenants on pets
New requirements for tenancies
Your landlord will need to give you written information about the terms of your tenancy.
For most tenancies that started before 1 May 2026
Your landlord will need to send you a copy of the government-produced information sheet, either digitally or in print by 31 May 2026.
This is a new government document which landlords must send to all existing tenants, who already have a written record of the tenancy terms.
For tenancies that start on or after 1 May 2026 or those that started which don’t have a written record
Your landlord will need to provide you with certain information about the tenancy in writing. They may do this in a tenancy agreement.
See GOV.UK’s guidance for tenants on the tenancy agreements
Tell us about an issue under the Renter’s Rights Act
This form must only be used to report issues relating to the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 for private rented tenancies.
If you need to report issues related to the Housing Act 2004, for example property conditions, damp and mould, overcrowding and property licensing, you'll need to complete the report a private rented property form.
After your complaint is received, our Renter's Rights Action team will begin an investigation.
Help and advice
If have any questions or need further guidance email RRA@redbridge.gov.uk
