The Renters' Rights Act: What Landlords Must Do

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 changed the obligations on landlords in England substantially from 1 May 2026, and further changes follow later in the year.

Around 2.3 million landlords in England are affected, alongside roughly 11 million renters. Newcastle's substantial private rented sector means a large number of them are here.

Here is what is now required.

Possession requires a ground.

The abolition of Section 21 means possession can only be sought using a Section 8 notice citing one or more legal grounds.

The Act introduced new and amended grounds, both mandatory and discretionary, covering circumstances landlords previously handled through Section 21. These include grounds relating to selling the property and to a landlord or close family member moving in.

Each ground carries its own notice period and evidential requirements, and some carry restrictions, such as prohibitions on re-letting for a defined period after using a ground.

The practical implication is that possession now requires planning and documentation rather than a two-month notice with no explanation. Getting the ground or the notice wrong means starting again.

Written statements are now required.

Before an assured periodic tenancy is entered into, a written statement of terms must be provided to the tenant.

This can be a standalone document or incorporated into the tenancy agreement, and the required contents are set out in regulations.

For new tenancies created since 1 May 2026, this is not optional, and the government has published guidance on exactly what information must be included.

The Information Sheet deadline has passed.

Landlords with tenancies that were assured shorthold tenancies on 1 May 2026 were required to give tenants the government Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.

The penalty for failing to do so is a civil penalty of up to £7,000.

Where a landlord had served a valid Section 21 or Section 8 notice before 1 May, different timing applies: once the notice is no longer valid or the court process concludes, the tenancy becomes an assured periodic tenancy and the landlord then has one month to provide the Information Sheet.

Any landlord who has not dealt with this should do so and take advice.

Rent increases follow a formal route.

Rent can be increased once a year, using a Section 13 notice, with at least two months' notice before the new rent applies.

Tenants may challenge an increase at the First-tier Tribunal, and the increase does not take effect while a challenge is determined.

Rent review clauses in older agreements do not override the statutory process for periodic tenancies, so relying on a contractual mechanism is unlikely to be safe.

Marketing practices have changed.

Accepting offers above the advertised rent is prohibited. Properties must be let at the advertised price, which removes bidding.

Requiring more than one month's rent in advance is not permitted, which affects how landlords have historically handled tenants who fail affordability referencing, including many students and people new to the UK.

Guarantor arrangements remain available, and are likely to carry more weight as a result.

Discrimination against prospective tenants because they have children or receive benefits is prohibited, and that extends to advertising, referencing criteria and decisions.

Pet requests must be considered.

Tenants have a right to request permission to keep a pet, and consent must not be unreasonably refused.

There is a defined process and timescale for responding, and refusals need a reason capable of being defended.

Blanket no-pets policies are no longer sustainable in the way they once were.

Enforcement has been strengthened.

Local authorities gained enhanced investigatory powers, and government guidance indicates that councils no longer need to issue informal warnings before pursuing formal action.

Councils must also report to the Secretary of State on how they exercise their functions under landlord legislation.

Newcastle City Council operates selective and additional licensing schemes in parts of the city, and those obligations sit alongside the new national requirements rather than replacing them. Landlords with HMOs in Newcastle should check which licensing regime applies to each property.

Phase two arrives later in 2026.

The next phase introduces new sector infrastructure, including a Private Rented Sector Database on which landlords will be required to register, functioning somewhat like a public register of landlords and properties.

An Ombudsman service for the private rented sector is also being established, providing tenants with a route to redress without going to court.

Both will bring further obligations, and landlords should watch for commencement dates and registration requirements rather than waiting to be contacted.

Practical steps now.

Review every tenancy agreement in use and replace templates that reference fixed terms or Section 21.

Check that written statements are being issued for new tenancies, that Information Sheets were served, and that rent increase procedures use the correct notice.

Keep records. Under a regime built on grounds and evidence, contemporaneous documentation of rent arrears, breaches, communications and property condition is what makes possession achievable.

The National Residential Landlords Association and other bodies publish detailed guidance, and taking legal advice before serving any notice is considerably cheaper than a failed possession claim.

Share your thoughts.

Have the changes altered how you let property in Newcastle?