May 1st is just around the corner, and it is fair to say there has been no shortage of alarming headlines about the Renters’ Rights Act.
If you are a landlord, you may well have found yourself feeling a little uncertain about what the changes mean for you and your properties.
But as Emma Foreman, Operations and Lettings Director at Complete, puts it: “It’s not panic stations.
“Yes, things are changing – but change doesn’t mean chaos. It means understanding what it means for you. The birds will still be singing on the 1st of May.”
That is not to say the changes are insignificant. The Renters’ Rights Act represents the most substantial reform to private renting legislation in a generation.
But with the right preparation and the right agent in your corner, there is every reason to approach the deadline with confidence rather than anxiety.
What Is Actually Changing?
The Renters’ Rights Act comes into force on 1st May 2026 and introduces a number of far-reaching changes to the private rented sector. The headline changes are as follows.
Section 21 “no-fault” evictions are abolished entirely. From 1st May, landlords will need a legal reason – known as a ground for possession – to end a tenancy.
Fixed-term tenancies will also cease to exist in their current form, with all tenancies automatically becoming rolling periodic tenancies. This means landlords will no longer have the certainty of a guaranteed fixed term, and tenancies could in theory be shorter and more frequent.
Rent increases will also be more tightly regulated. Landlords will no longer be able to use rent review clauses in tenancy agreements. Instead, rent can only be increased once per year using a formal process, with at least two months’ written notice given to tenants.
Any increase must be no higher than the open market rent, and tenants will have the right to challenge a proposed increase they consider above market rate.
Section 8 possession notices will face significantly greater legal scrutiny than before. Rental bidding wars will be banned. And tenants will, from 1st May, have the right to request permission to keep a pet – a request landlords cannot unreasonably refuse.
A new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman and a national landlord database are also on the way, with further details to follow in due course.
The Mandatory Renters’ Rights Act Information Leaflet – Act Now
One of the most time-sensitive obligations under the new legislation has already arrived. The government’s official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet was published this spring and must be served on all existing tenants by 31st May 2026.
This is a legal requirement, not a formality. Failure to serve the leaflet – and to retain formal proof that you have done so – will make any subsequent Section 8 notice unenforceable through the courts.
For landlords whose properties Complete manages, we will handle the service of this document on your behalf and retain proof of service on file.
If you self-manage your property, you need to obtain the leaflet from GOV.UK, serve it on your tenants correctly, and keep a clear written record that you have done so. Do not leave this until the last moment.
Section 8 – A More Complex Process
With Section 21 gone, Section 8 becomes the only route available to landlords who need to regain possession of their property.
The grounds for possession under Section 8 include non-payment of rent, antisocial behaviour, and damage to the property – as well as circumstances such as the landlord wishing to sell or move into the property, though these last two grounds cannot be used within the first 12 months of a tenancy.
Given the significantly greater legal scrutiny that Section 8 notices will face under the new legislation, Complete has taken the decision not to serve these notices in-house. 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 existing package.
For all other landlords, we will refer you to Cartridges Law, specialists in landlord possession matters who have agreed to offer a 10% discount to landlords referred by Complete.
What About Fees?
We recognise that the shift to periodic tenancies introduces a degree of financial uncertainty.
Without the security of a fixed term, some tenancies may be shorter, and re-letting could become more frequent. In response, we will not be increasing our fees for our existing client base following the increase implemented in January 2025.
We are also introducing the following commitments to provide additional reassurance during the transition:
- If a property requires re-letting within three months of tenants moving in, no set-up fee will be charged for the new tenancy.
- If a property requires re-letting within six months of tenants moving in, only 50% of the set-up fee will apply.
- Only tenancies lasting longer than six months will be subject to the full set-up fee, in line with our current structure.
Have the Renters’ Rights Act Conversation Now
The most important thing any landlord can do right now is not to wait.
As Emma puts it: “The key is not reacting at the last minute and having a plan in place early. So if you haven’t had the conversation yet, now is the time. And if your agent isn’t talking to you about it, we are.”
At Complete, we have been preparing for these changes for months. Our entire team has completed dedicated training on the Renters’ Rights Act, and we continue to hold regular update sessions to ensure every member of staff is fully equipped to support our landlords.
We have run fully booked in-person seminars and drop-in sessions, and we continue to speak to landlords every day about what the changes mean in practice.
“We’re already speaking to landlords about what this means, what to expect and what they can do now, so there are no surprises,’ says Emma. “Because that’s the key, really – not reacting at the last minute and having a plan in place early.”
The Renters’ Rights Act is coming. But with the right preparation, it need not be something to fear.
If you would like to discuss how the changes affect your specific circumstances, or if you simply want to make sure you have everything in order before 1st May, we would be very glad to hear from you.