Renters' Rights Act 2025 Compliance Check

Why this matters

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and delivers the biggest shake-up of the private rented sector in decades. From 1 May 2026, Section 21 “no-fault” evictions were abolished and every existing fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancy converted automatically into a rolling Assured Periodic Tenancy — there is no longer any such thing as a new fixed-term AST in England. Landlords who served a Section 21 notice before commencement had until 28 April 2026 to do so by first-class post, and a hard statutory cut-off applied on 31 July 2026: any court proceedings relying on a pre-commencement Section 21 notice had to be issued by that date, and any notice not acted on before it is now permanently unenforceable, meaning possession can only be sought under the new grounds-based Section 8 process. Landlords who missed that cut-off need to know their new position under Section 8.

Beyond Section 21, the Act introduces a raft of duties that catch out businesses who let property as part of a wider operation — not just full-time landlords. A new Private Rented Sector Database and Ombudsman scheme require registration, rental bidding wars and requests for more than one month’s rent in advance are banned, tenants gain a statutory right to request a pet (which landlords can’t unreasonably refuse), and Awaab’s Law — requiring landlords to fix damp, mould and other hazards within fixed timescales — is expected to extend to the private sector from 2027, with the wider Decent Homes Standard applying from 2035. Any business letting residential property in England — including accidental landlords, small portfolio operators, and companies that let staff or holiday accommodation on assured tenancies — needs to know where it stands under the new regime.

What you'll need

• The number and type of residential tenancies your business currently lets in England
• Whether you've served, or are relying on, a Section 21 notice issued before 1 May 2026
• Whether court possession proceedings have already been issued on any pre-commencement notice
• Your registration status with a redress/ombudsman scheme and the Private Rented Sector Database
• Your current approach to rent in advance, holding deposits, and pet requests

What you'll get

A personalised compliance report covering: a score out of 100, an executive summary, a list of findings ranked by severity, and a prioritised action plan with timeframes.