After receiving Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, the first provisions came into force on 27 December 2025, giving local councils new powers to crack down on rogue landlords.
From that date, councils have been able to demand information from landlords, agents and anyone connected to a rental property in the past year. The move is designed to strengthen enforcement against unlawful evictions and poor housing standards, ensuring tenants are better protected even before the headline reforms arrive.
The biggest shake-up comes on 1 May 2026, when tenancy rules themselves change. Section 21 “no-fault” evictions will be abolished, ending the practice of landlords removing tenants without reason. Assured shorthold tenancies will be replaced with rolling periodic agreements, giving renters more flexibility and security. Rent increases will be limited to once a year, with tenants able to challenge unfair rises, while new rights around keeping pets will also be introduced. A Private Landlord Ombudsman will be established to resolve disputes quickly and fairly with more information to follow on when this will be implemented.
For tenants, the reforms promise greater stability and protection. For landlords, they mark the end of long-standing practices and the start of stricter compliance obligations. And for local authorities, the changes mean a heavier enforcement role, with councils expected to investigate more complaints and ensure landlords follow the new rules.
Together, these milestones signal one of the most significant overhauls of renting in decades, a shift that will reshape the balance of power between tenants, landlords and councils across England.
Online hubs have been created to provide information for both landlords and tenants:
Landlord hub: https://housinghub.campaign.gov.uk/renting-is-changing/
Tenants hub: https://housinghub.campaign.gov.uk/private-renting-is-changing/
If you’d like any further information about the Renters Rights Act, please contact PRS@newcastle.gov.uk or visit Renting is Changing.