The Renters’ Rights Act comes into force on 1st May 2026, bringing with it the most significant changes to private renting legislation in a generation.

If you are a landlord, the clock is ticking – and there are some important steps you need to take before that deadline arrives.

At Complete, we have been working hard to ensure both our team and our landlords are fully prepared.

Here are some crucial steps every landlord should be taking right now.

Understand What Is Changing

The Renters’ Rights Act abolishes Section 21 “no-fault” evictions and introduces rolling periodic tenancies as standard, meaning fixed-term tenancies will no longer exist in their current form. 

Rental bidding wars will be banned, and rent increases will require proper evidence-based justification. A new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman and a national landlord database are also on the way.

The shift to periodic tenancies is perhaps the most significant practical change for landlords. Without the certainty of a fixed term, tenancies could be shorter and more frequent re-letting may become the norm.

Emma Foreman, Operations and Lettings Director at Complete, advises: “The Renters’ Rights Act brings substantial change, but landlords who prepare early and work with the right agent will be well-placed to navigate it. The key is not to wait until May to start thinking about this.”

Serve the Mandatory Tenant Information Leaflet

The government is introducing a statutory Tenant Information Leaflet under the RRA, which must be served on all existing tenants. The document is expected to be published in March 2026 and must be served by 31st May 2026.

This is not optional. Failure to serve the leaflet – and to retain formal proof of service – will make any subsequent Section 8 notice unenforceable through the courts.

If we manage your property, Complate will handle this on your behalf and retain proof of service on file. A one-off compliance fee of £120 (including VAT) per property will apply to cover the administration involved. This is a strictly one-off charge and no further mandatory documents are anticipated at this stage of the Act.

If you self-manage, you must ensure you serve this document correctly and keep a clear record that you have done so.

Review How You Handle Possession

With Section 8 notices set to face significantly greater legal scrutiny under the new legislation, getting possession proceedings right will be more important – and more complex – than ever before.

At Complete, we have taken the decision not to serve Section 8 notices in-house going forward. This is to ensure landlords receive the highest possible standard of service and to minimise the risk of errors or delays.

For landlords on our Premium Management package or who currently pay for our eviction service, service via a legal professional will be included as part of your package.

For all other landlords, we will refer you to Cartridges Law. They specialise in landlord possession matters and have agreed to offer a 10% discount to landlords referred by Complete. You can also authorise us to manage the file on your behalf, keeping things as straightforward as possible.

Talk to Your Managing Agent

Perhaps the most important step of all is to make sure you are not navigating these changes alone.

Whether you have questions about how periodic tenancies will work in practice, what your options are if a tenant stops paying rent, or how the changes affect your longer-term plans as a landlord, now is the time to have those conversations.

Emma says: “We have attended in-person seminars, drop-in sessions and dedicated training to make sure every member of our team is fully equipped to support landlords through these changes.

“Our landlords should feel confident that they have an agent who is prepared, knowledgeable and firmly in their corner.

“Our recent landlord seminars at Dainton Golf Club and our drop-in sessions were both fully booked. This reflects just how much appetite there is among landlords to understand and prepare for the Renters’ Rights Act.”

There are still a small number of spaces remaining on our final webinar on 21 April. If you would like to attend, book your place now.

A Note on Fees

We recognise that the shift to periodic tenancies introduces a degree of financial uncertainty for landlords. And we want to be transparent about how we are responding.

We will not be increasing our fees for our existing client base following the increase implemented in January 2025. In addition, we are introducing the following commitments to provide additional reassurance:

  • If a property requires re-letting within 3 months of tenants moving in, there will be no set-up fee charged for the new tenancy.
  • If a property requires re-letting within 6 months of tenants moving in, only 50% of the set-up fee will apply.
  • Only tenancies lasting longer than 6 months will be subject to the full set-up fee, as per our current structure.

The 1st May 2026 deadline will arrive quickly. If you have any questions about the Renters’ Rights Act, please do not hesitate to get in touch.