On 27 October 2025, the Renters’ Rights Bill received Royal Assent. It is slated to be the most significant reform to the private rented sector since the Housing Act 1988. As such, there has been much deliberation among industry experts on the scale of these changes and the speed at which these will be implemented.
Following the ratification of the Bill, the Government published a roadmap outlining a three-phased approach to implementing its various provisions. Ministry of State for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook commented: ‘This time period will provide sufficient time for landlords and letting agents to prepare effectively and for the necessary implementing regulations to be made. We will support all stakeholders through detailed guidance and communications.’
Phase One
The first phase is set to come into force on 1 May 2026 and will principally focus on provisions surrounding tenancy. A key feature is the abolishment of Section 21 evictions under the Housing Act 1988, though this will not apply within the social rented sector until the second phase.
Further tenant safeguarding measures will also be introduced, including restricting the ability of a landlord to encourage rental bidding, limiting rent increases to once a year, and making it illegal to discriminate against renters who have children or receive social welfare. Landlords will have 28 days to consider a tenant’s request to bring a pet to the property.
Underpinning these changes is the introduction of Assured Periodic Tenancies to the private rented sector. In effect, landlords will not be able to offer fixed-term tenancies, though a landlord still reserves the right to file a Section 8 notice under the Housing Act 1988. Tenants will have the ability to end their tenancy by giving two months’ notice.
Phase Two
The second phase is set to begin in late 2026, though no specific date has been supplied as of now. What this phase is set to accomplish is enrolling all private rented sector landlords in the Private Rented Sector Database. This will involve landlords having to pay an annual fee, though more information about the financial obligations will be provided closer to the launch. This will not, however, replace selective licensing schemes.
The information landlords will need to supply includes the address, property type, number of rooms, number of tenants residing in a property, and safety information concerning gas and electricity. This will provide a single source of information under one system and is expected to improve transparency, information accessibility, and regulation compliance.
Alongside the Private Rented Sector Database rollout is the introduction of the Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman. Like the Private Rented Sector Database, it is compulsory for landlords to fund the service. As a redress service, it is set to enable tenants to file complaints concerning issues surrounding their landlord.
The service is also expected to supply landlords with training and tools on handling complaints from tenants early on. This is to bypass the need for tenants and landlords to resolve any potential issues within a court, thereby streamlining the time and finances involved in settling disputes.
Phase Three
The final phase consists of various provisions set to be gradually implemented over the next decade. A prime example of this is the introduction of the Decent Homes Standard (DHS), a provision which will set a minimum standard of housing quality and will confer power to local authorities to take legal action if private rented sector properties fail to meet it.
At this time, the Government is still in the consultation stage regarding what specific standard will be applied in assessing a DHS private rented sector home. But the Government expects this standard to come into force in either 2035 or 2037.
Consultation is also being made regarding energy compliance. By 2030, the Government expects that all domestic privately rented properties in England and Wales will need to meet the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) of EPC C or equivalent. This is in tandem with a further review of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
An extension of Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector is also set to take place, though no date has been given. Landlords will need to investigate reported hazards, such as damp or mould hazards, within an enforceable time frame.
General Timeline
Taken as a whole, the Renters’ Right Bill is going to leave wide-ranging ramifications across the private rented sector. Pennycook said that the Renters’ Rights Bill will ‘empower renters by providing them with greater security, rights and protections so that they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness. It will ensure that we can drive up the quality of privately rented housing so that renters have access to good-quality and safe homes as a matter of course. And it will allow us to crack down on the minority of unscrupulous landlords who exploit, mistreat or discriminate against renters.’
It is therefore crucial to prepare for the launch of phase one of the Renters’ Rights Bill, for the provisions will noticeably affect the ways in which a landlord engages with existing and potential tenants.
