Introduction
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Royal Assent 27 October 2025) is the biggest change to private renting in England in a generation. Its first phase came into force on 1 May 2026. This guide explains what is now law and what it means for you day to day.
What changed on 1 May 2026
1. Section 21 "no-fault" evictions are abolished
You can no longer serve a Section 21 notice. Notices served before 1 May 2026 could only found a court claim issued by 31 July 2026; from 1 August 2026 no new claims can be made on old notices.
What this means for you:
- Every possession claim now runs under Section 8 using a ground in Schedule 2 to the Housing Act 1988
- The prescribed notice is Form 3A, and it must quote the full statutory wording of each ground with your particulars — one notice per tenant
- A Section 8 notice is valid for 12 months; the claim must be issued within that window
2. Every AST became an assured periodic tenancy
Fixed terms have gone. All private residential tenancies are now rolling periodic tenancies; offering a new fixed term is a breach with a civil penalty of up to £7,000. Tenants can leave on two months’ notice. You cannot take more than one month’s rent in advance.
3. Reformed Section 8 grounds and notice periods
- Ground 8 (serious arrears, mandatory): at least 3 months’ rent unpaid (13 weeks if weekly/fortnightly) both when the notice is served and at the hearing. Arrears caused only by an awaited Universal Credit housing payment are ignored. There is no "Ground 8A".
- Grounds 10 and 11 (any arrears / persistent delay) remain discretionary — plead them alongside Ground 8.
- Grounds 1 and 1A (moving in / selling) are mandatory but cannot bite in the first 12 months, and you cannot re-let for 12 months afterwards. Misuse is a criminal offence with penalties of up to £40,000.
- Notice periods now run from no notice (grounds 7A / 14) through 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 months and 4 months depending on the ground; the longest governs.
4. Rent increases only by Form 4A
Rent can rise once a year using a section 13 notice on Form 4A with at least two months’ notice. Contractual rent-review clauses are void, and tenants can challenge the new rent at the tribunal.
5. Deposits, the Information Sheet and the PRS Database
- The court cannot make a possession order (except on grounds 7A / 14) unless the deposit is protected and the prescribed information given — late compliance before service cures it.
- Existing tenants had to receive the official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.
- The Private Rented Sector Database is rolling out region by region from late 2026; once live in your area, an active landlord and property registration becomes a pre-condition for a possession order. A landlord ombudsman becomes mandatory from 2028.
6. The court process
The accelerated (paper-only) route has gone for private landlords: every claim has a hearing. Arrears-only claims can use Possession Claim Online; all other claims use forms N5 and N119 at the County Court. The issue fee is £415 and a warrant of possession £152 (from 13 July 2026). File your evidence at least 14 days before the hearing, and never attempt to evict without bailiffs — unlawful eviction carries penalties of up to £40,000 plus rent repayment orders.
How to stay compliant
- Keep the rent ledger accurate — Ground 8 is decided on the figures on the day
- Record every tenant conversation, letter and payment-plan offer (courts expect pre-action engagement)
- Protect deposits and keep the prescribed-information evidence
- Serve the Information Sheet and keep proof
- Register on the PRS Database as soon as it opens in your area
How ManagementHub helps
- Arrears Wizard: verifies the grounds against your live ledger and generates the Form 3A package
- Court & enforcement tracking: claim, defence, hearing, order, warrant and outcome with every deadline on your calendar
- Court packs: N5, N119, N215, rent schedule, witness statement, hearing bundle and N325 completion packs
- Compliance tracking for certificates, deposits and the Information Sheet
Conclusion
The Act is no longer coming — it is here. Landlords who document well, follow the Form 3A process precisely and track the court timetable will still recover possession when they need to.
*This article is general information, not legal advice. Take advice on contested cases.*