The biggest UK landlord legislation changes of 2026 apply specifically to the private rented sector in England, not to the whole UK. Since 1 May 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has changed how assured tenancies, possession, rent increases and tenant applications work.
For landlords, the immediate priority is straightforward: use updated tenancy processes, stop relying on Section 21 or fixed terms, and check that your rent, advertising and documentation procedures comply.
What changed on 1 May 2026?
Assured periodic tenancies replaced fixed terms
New and existing assured tenancies in England moved to the assured periodic system on 1 May. They run on a rolling basis without a fixed end date, rather than ending automatically after six or 12 months.
Landlords should therefore remove outdated fixed-term wording from new tenancy documents and avoid presenting an end date as a route to automatic possession.
Existing tenants with written agreements had to receive the government’s Renters’ Rights Act information sheet by 31 May 2026. Where an existing tenancy was verbal, landlords also had to provide a written record of its terms by that deadline. Failure to meet the information requirement can lead to a civil penalty of up to £7,000.
Section 21 has been abolished
Landlords can no longer serve a new Section 21 “no-fault” notice. Possession must instead be based on a valid statutory ground, using the correct process and evidence.
Grounds remain available where a landlord genuinely needs to sell or move themselves or qualifying family members into the property, but these routes are subject to statutory requirements and safeguards. Other grounds cover circumstances such as rent arrears and anti-social behaviour.
Transitional arrangements may apply to valid notices served before 1 May 2026. Professional advice is sensible for case-specific possession or licensing questions.
New rent and letting rules
Rent can normally be increased only once a year through the statutory Section 13 process. Landlords must give at least two months’ written notice.
A tenant can challenge an increase at the First-tier Tribunal if they believe it exceeds the open-market rent. Existing rent review clauses cannot be used to bypass the statutory route.
Other important changes include:
- Properties must be advertised at a clear asking rent.
- Landlords and agents must not solicit or accept offers above that advertised rent.
- A landlord cannot require more than one month’s rent in advance.
- Applicants must not be excluded because they receive benefits or have children.
These rules make consistent advertising and applicant assessment especially important. Keep written records showing how applications were considered.
Pets: requests must be considered fairly
Tenants now have a legal right to request permission to keep a pet. This is not an automatic right to have any pet, but landlords cannot refuse unreasonably.
Use a documented process and consider the individual property, tenancy and request rather than applying a blanket “no pets” policy.
What is still being introduced?
Not every part of the Renters’ Rights Act was operational on 1 May.
The national Private Rented Sector Database is planned for a staged rollout from later in 2026. Landlords will eventually need to register themselves and their properties and pay an annual fee.
A mandatory Landlord Ombudsman will also be introduced in a later phase to provide independent, binding dispute resolution. Full implementation is not yet complete as at 6 October 2026.
The extension of the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law to England’s private rented sector is planned for a future phase. Detailed commencement dates and operational requirements remain to be confirmed, so landlords should monitor official updates without treating proposed deadlines as current law.
EPC requirements in England
The current domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard in England remains EPC E, subject to the applicable exemptions.
The government’s planned direction is to require private rented homes to meet a higher standard broadly equivalent to EPC C by 1 October 2030. However, the change requires further primary and secondary legislation. It should not be described as an EPC C legal requirement already in force in 2026.
Landlords can still prepare sensibly by reviewing current EPC recommendations, property condition and likely improvement costs before committing to major works.
Licensing remains council-specific
Selective licensing, additional HMO licensing and mandatory HMO licensing continue alongside the Renters’ Rights Act. The scheme applying to a property depends on its type, occupancy and council area.
Do not assume that registration under a future national database will replace a local licence. Check the relevant council’s current licensing boundaries, conditions and application rules for every property.
Do not apply England’s rules across the UK
Wales operates a different rental framework and Rent Smart Wales. Scotland has its own tenancy rules and landlord registration system. Northern Ireland also has separate legislation and currently has no equivalent 2026 minimum EPC rating mandate for existing private tenancies.
A portfolio spanning more than one nation therefore needs separate compliance checks.
Practical landlord checklist
- Confirm every assured tenancy is being managed as periodic.
- Remove Section 21 from current possession procedures.
- Use valid possession grounds and preserve supporting evidence.
- Process rent rises through Section 13 only once a year.
- Give at least two months’ notice of an increase.
- Stop rental bidding and excessive rent-in-advance requests.
- Review pet and applicant assessment policies.
- Confirm that required information was issued by 31 May 2026.
- Check EPC E compliance and registered exemptions.
- Check each property’s council licensing requirements.
- Monitor official database, ombudsman and standards announcements.
For practical support with managing your portfolio under England’s changing rental rules, speak to Yaslets Properties.
