The Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026

The changes explained in this document may not apply to your tenancy on 1 May 2026 if your landlord serves a notice seeking possession under section 8 or section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 before 1 May 2026.

If this happens, your landlord may still be able to take you to court to end your tenancy under the previous rules. You should seek advice if this happens to you.

You might have a fixed term tenancy. For example, your tenancy agreement may say the tenancy would last for 12 months.

After 1 May 2026, it will not be possible for assured tenancy agreements to have a fixed term or a set end date. All tenancies will automatically become rolling tenancies from 1 May 2026 (sometimes known as 'periodic tenancies').

Your tenancy will continue on a rolling basis. This will usually be monthly, unless your tenancy agreement sets out a shorter period, for example weekly or fortnightly. If your tenancy had an end date, it will no longer apply.

Your tenancy will continue until:

• you and your landlord decide together to end the tenancy
• you end your tenancy by giving notice
• your landlord ends it, if they have a valid legal reason

Your tenancy agreement might call your tenancy an 'Assured Shorthold Tenancy'. This is the name of the private rented tenancy system until 1 May 2026.

Assured Shorthold Tenancies will be abolished on 1 May 2026. Any tenancy previously called an Assured Shorthold Tenancy will automatically become an Assured Periodic Tenancy instead. Your tenancy will not end because of this change.

Your tenancy agreement may contain rent review clauses. These are terms in the agreement that allow the landlord to increase the rent.

Rent review clauses cannot be used for new rent increases after 1 May 2026. If you have a rent review clause in your current tenancy agreement, it will not apply after this date.

Landlords must instead use the process in section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 for increasing the rent. This means they can only increase the rent once per year. They will need to give you written notice of the proposed rent increase at least 2 months before that increase would take effect, using a form called Form 4A.

Any rent increase must be no higher than the open market rent. If you think the proposed increase is above market rate, you can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal.

Your tenancy agreement may say that your landlord can evict you without a reason. This was known as a section 21 eviction. Your landlord cannot give you a section 21 notice on or after 1 May 2026, even if your tenancy agreement says they can.

Instead, your landlord will need a legal reason to evict you. These reasons are called grounds for possession.

Below is a brief summary of some of the main reasons your landlord may legally seek to evict you. You can find full details of these and other grounds on GOV.UK.

• If you have not paid your rent on time
• If you, others living with you, or visitors commit antisocial behaviour in or near the property
• If you, or others living with you, do not care for the property properly
• If your tenancy was for certain purposes, for example it was connected to your employment, or was for temporary or supported accommodation

You cannot be required to leave under some grounds for the first 12 months of a tenancy. These are:

• if your landlord intends to sell the property
• if your landlord or their family member wants to move into the property

Your landlord will need to give you a section 8 notice of seeking possession, using 1 or more of the grounds for possession.

A section 8 notice must state the date by which your landlord is asking you to leave. They must give you the required amount of time under each ground.

If you have not left by the end of the notice period, your landlord will need to apply to court to get the property back. This is called applying for a possession order.

At court, the landlord must provide evidence that they have a valid reason to evict you. You will have the opportunity to explain why you think your landlord does not have a legal reason to evict you, or why eviction is not reasonable under certain grounds.

You can access free legal advice through the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service before going to court and on the day of the court hearing.

You will be able to end the tenancy at any point by giving your landlord notice. This must be done:

• so the tenancy ends on a day when the rent is due or the day before the rent is due
• in writing, for example, by letter or email

You will need to give your landlord at least 2 months' notice. You can agree a shorter notice period with the landlord in writing, as long as any other tenants named on the tenancy agreement also agree.

From 1 May 2026, you have the right to request to keep a pet.

Your landlord cannot unreasonably refuse your request. If they refuse, they must inform you in writing, and should tell you the reason why. They will need to consider each request on a case-by-case basis. You can challenge the landlord's decision in court.

If you are a full-time student, your landlord may be able to evict you using possession ground 4A. They will be able to do this at the end of the academic year and must give you 4 months' notice ending between 1 June and 30 September.

Your landlord can only use this ground if they have previously given you written notice that they may use it. They must give this to you by 31 May 2026, in most cases. This information sheet does not count as that written notice.

If your landlord wants to evict you at the end of the 2025/26 academic year, they can serve you a notice seeking possession between 1 May and 30 July 2026 (inclusive). They will need to give this to you with at least 2 months' notice.