First changes under the Renters' Rights Act take effect

The Renters' Rights Act became law in October 2025, with some changes already taking effect from 27 December 2025, according to Legal Choices¹. The majority of the new rules will come into force gradually throughout 2026 and into 2027 in three separate phases, and the dates for the second and third phases have not yet been confirmed¹. Until each phase applies, the current rules stay the same¹.

The first phase takes effect from 1 May 2026¹. From that date, private tenants in England can only see their rent go up once a year, and cannot be evicted for challenging a rent increase². A landlord must use tenancy form 4A and give at least two months' notice of a rent increase, and a notice that gets these things wrong is not valid². It costs £47 to apply to a rent tribunal from 1 May 2026².

Where a tenant applies to a tribunal, the outcome depends on when the section 13 notice was received²:

Applications can be made online or using Form MR1 on GOV.UK, and the tribunal usually decides by looking at rents for similar properties in the area and information from the tenant and landlord². Hearings, which can be online, by phone or in person, are often held only if one side asks for one, and a hearing date could be a few months away². Tribunals can also visit a home if either side asks, and can consider damp or repairs needed². Separate rules apply to regulated tenants with a fair rent².

Legal Choices lists the wider changes coming in phases: no-fault evictions will stop; tenancies will be month-to-month rather than fixed-term; landlords must give four months' notice if they wish to sell and cannot sell within the first year; rent must be at market rate; landlords can only advertise homes with fixed rent prices and bidding between renters is not allowed; homes must be safe and in good condition; and landlords cannot refuse a tenant because of children, pets or benefits unless they have a valid reason¹. A new Legal Ombudsman will help solve problems, homes must be registered on a new database, and local authority enforcement and rent repayment orders will be strengthened¹. Landlords cannot ask for more than one month's rent in advance¹.

Why it matters for households

For private tenants in England, the change already in effect from 27 December 2025 and the first phase from 1 May 2026 alter the mechanics of a rent rise. A rent increase can happen only once a year, must be served with at least two months' notice on form 4A, and a challenge to it cannot be grounds for eviction². Where a tenant takes a post-1 May 2026 notice to a tribunal, the rent set cannot exceed the figure the landlord asked for, and it normally starts from the next rent period after the decision rather than the date in the notice². The £47 application fee applies from 1 May 2026, with help available for those on a low income².

The later phases carry the larger structural changes: the end of no-fault evictions, a shift to month-to-month tenancies, limits on advance rent, and a ban on bidding above the advertised rent¹. Because the second and third phase dates have not been confirmed, the timing of those changes for individual households is not yet settled¹.

What happens next

The first phase takes effect from 1 May 2026¹. The dates for the second and third phases have not yet been confirmed¹. More on the rules covering landlords and tenants is set out in the regulation and policy coverage.