What the Renters' Rights Act means for tenants and landlords

An important development from the financial markets: What the Renters' Rights Act means for tenants and landlords 7 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Tarah Welsh , Housing reporter and Larissa Tairo Peter Cade/Getty Images Described as the biggest shake-up to renting in England for more than 30 years, new laws giving tenants more rights start on Friday 1 May. The Renters' Rights Act aims to give more stability and security to the 11 million people who rent from private landlords. The new rules also mean big changes for landlords, with some warning that there could be delays evicting bad tenants from their properties.

How long will tenants be able to rent a property for? Fixed-term tenancies, where renters are tied into contracts lasting for 12 or 24 months, are banned under the new rules. Instead, properties will be rented on a "periodic" or rolling basis.

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This means that tenants who wish to remain in a property can do so. The government says the change will provide renters with greater security. Tenants who want to leave can give two months' notice.

The government says this will end "the injustice of tenants being trapped paying rent for substandard properties". Existing tenants do not need to sign a new contract as the change happens automatically. If you rent your home, your landlord or agent must provide you with an information sheet about the changes .

The Renters' Rights Act applies to England. Scotland has had periodic agreements for tenancies since 2017, but Wales and Northern Ireland still allow fixed-term contracts. Will landlords be able to evict people for no reason?

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More than 11,000 households in England had their homes repossessed by bailiffs following a Section 21 "no-fault" eviction in the year to June 2025. Under the new law, it is significantly harder to evict tenants. Any valid eviction notices issued before the end of April 2026 still apply.

But from 1 May, a landlord deciding to evict a tenant must have a valid legal reason to do so. This includes where the landlord wants to sell or move into a property - but not within the first 12 months of a tenancy. Where a tenant is significantly behind on rent - known as being in rent arrears - the landlord will usually have to wait until they are owed three months' money before giving notice.

However tenants who damage the property or commit antisocial behaviour can be given notice at any point. How much notice do landlords have to give when they have a valid reason to evict a tenant? Landlords need to give four months' notice.

Financial markets are tracking the development closely as investors assess the likely impact.