The Renters' Rights Act 2025 Explained: A Landlord's Checklist

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the biggest reform of the private rented sector in England in a generation. If you let property in England, it changes how tenancies start, how rent rises, and - most significantly - how they end. This is a plain-English summary of what is changing and a checklist of what to do about it. For the full deep dive, see our ultimate guide to the Renters' Rights Act.

The Act applies to England. Wales already operates under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regimes. Vantage applies the correct rules to each property by jurisdiction.

Section 21 is abolished

The headline change is the end of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions. You can no longer end a tenancy simply by giving notice without a reason. Instead, possession runs through a reformed and expanded set of Section 8 grounds - for example where you intend to sell the property, move yourself or a close family member in, or where the tenant is in serious rent arrears. Each ground has its own notice period and evidence requirements: see how to issue a valid Section 8 notice.

Fixed terms become rolling periodic tenancies

Assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) are gone. New and existing tenancies are now rolling periodic tenancies with no fixed end date. Tenants can leave by giving two months' notice; you can only end the tenancy using a valid ground. This ends the traditional 6- or 12-month fixed term - see how to transition from ASTs to periodic tenancies.

Rent increases and rent in advance

• Rent can be increased once a year, using the statutory Section 13 notice with at least two months' notice.
• Tenants can challenge an above-market increase at the First-tier Tribunal.
• Rent in advance is capped - landlords cannot demand large upfront payments to outbid other tenants.
• Bidding wars are banned: you must advertise a rent and cannot invite or accept offers above it - see what the bidding ban means for letting agents.

Other key changes

• Tenants gain a right to request a pet, which the landlord cannot unreasonably refuse (you can require pet insurance).
• A new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman and a PRS Database (the Property Portal) that landlords must register on.
• Application of a Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law hazard-response timescales to the private sector.
• An end to blanket bans on tenants receiving benefits or with children.

Your landlord action checklist

1. Put new tenancy terms in writing. The official information sheet was due for existing written tenancies by 31 May 2026, and that deadline has passed. A new tenancy needs its key terms in writing before it is agreed.
2. Review your possession strategy - you can no longer rely on Section 21, so make sure your records support Section 8 grounds (a clean rent ledger matters more than ever).
3. Update your tenancy agreements to reflect periodic tenancies and remove rent-review clauses that bypass Section 13.
4. Tighten your rent-increase process to a single annual Section 13 notice.
5. Get your compliance documents in order - a current gas safety certificate, EICR and EPC all underpin lawful possession and letting.
6. Prepare for PRS Database registration by getting your property and certificate data into one place now.

How Vantage helps you get ready

Vantage tracks the Renters' Rights Act requirements that still apply, serves gas and electrical certificates to tenants by email with proof of service, and pre-builds your PRS Database registration pack from data you already hold. See the full picture in our UK landlord compliance checklist or read about the deposit protection rules that still apply.