From 1st May 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will give tenants new rights and introduce new rules for private landlords.

This information explains how the new rules may affect your current tenancy.

These changes only affect you if you are a tenant in the private rented sector with an assured or assured shorthold tenancy. If you live in social housing or you are a lodger, the new rules will not usually apply to you.

These rules have been introduced by law. Your landlord cannot put anything into a tenancy agreement to change or disapply them.

The Renters’ Rights Act 2026

This page is only a summary of the changes. The new rules may change or impact your tenancy in a way not described here.

The new rules apply to your tenancy automatically, even if your landlord does not update your tenancy agreement.

If you do not have a written tenancy agreement or any written record of the tenancy’s terms, then your landlord must provide you with certain written information on or before 31 May 2026.

If your landlord serves you a notice seeking possession before 1 May 2026

Changes to fixed terms

Change to the name of Assured Shorthold Tenancies

Increasing the rent

If your landlord wants to end your tenancy

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.

Legal aid for possessions hearings