What landlords must now do: a tenant's guide

Plain-English guide for tenants in England about what their landlord must do under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, in force from 1 May 2026. Sources cited inline; full list at the end.

Since 1 May 2026, your landlord has new duties and new limits. Here is what they must now do — and what they can no longer do.

Give you an information sheet and written terms

• If your tenancy started before 1 May 2026, your landlord (or agent) had to give you a government-produced Information Sheet about the changes by 31 May 2026. They can be fined for not doing so [S1, S2].
• If your agreement was verbal, your landlord must give you the key terms in writing [S1, S2].

Follow the new money rules

• They cannot ask for, accept or encourage rent paid in advance before the tenancy agreement is signed. Once you have signed, the maximum they can ask for in the pre-tenancy period is one month's rent (or 28 days' worth if rent is not paid monthly) [S1, S3].
• A holding deposit is capped at one week's rent, and a tenancy deposit at 5 weeks' rent (6 weeks if the annual rent is £50,000 or more). Your tenancy deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme and you must be given the scheme's prescribed information [S3].
• Rental bidding is banned: the advertised price must be a specific amount, and they cannot accept an offer above it [S1].
• They cannot discriminate against you because you receive benefits, have children, or because of a protected characteristic [S1].

Follow the rules on rent increases

• They can only raise your rent using the formal section 13 process, using Form 4A, with at least 2 months' notice [S1, S2].
• They can do this at most once a year, and not in the first 12 months of your tenancy [S1, S2].
• If the new rent is above market rate, you can challenge it at a tribunal [S1, S2].

Handle pets and requests fairly

• You can ask to keep a pet. Your landlord must consider the request and give reasons if they refuse [S1].

Ending your tenancy

• You can leave with 2 months' written notice, given on or before a rent due day [S1].
• Your landlord can only evict you with a section 8 notice (Form 3A) that states a legal ground, and then only with a court order. Section 21 'no-fault' evictions are abolished — they cannot be used even if your agreement mentions them [S1, S5].
• For some grounds (like the landlord moving in or selling), there is a 12-month protected period at the start of your tenancy during which such a notice cannot take effect [S4, S5].
• On most grounds, the court will not grant possession if your deposit was not properly protected — so a landlord's paperwork failures can block an eviction [S4, S5].

If they break the rules

• Rent Repayment Orders can now cover up to 2 years' rent, and the list of offences they cover has been expanded [S2].

Not yet for social tenants

Private Registered Providers of social housing follow these changes from 2027 [S4, S5].

Sources

• [S1] Renters' Rights Act overview for tenants — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/renters-rights-act-overview-for-tenants
• [S2] Overview for landlords — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/renters-rights-act-an-overview-for-landlords
• [S3] Rent in advance and deposits — https://www.gov.uk/assured-tenancy-agreements-a-guide-for-landlords/rent-in-advance-and-deposits
• [S4] Grounds for possession: guidance for tenants — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/grounds-for-possession-tenant-guidance/grounds-for-possession-guidance-for-tenants
• [S5] Repossessing your privately rented property after 1 May 2026 — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/repossessing-your-privately-rented-property-after-1-may-2026