The Renters’ Rights Act: The 5 Questions Landlords Are Asking Most
Posted on June 5th, 2026.
The Renters’ Rights Act has changed the rules of the game for landlords in England. It’s not the sort of change you handle with a quick template swap and a “we’ll deal with it later” attitude. It affects how tenancies start, how they run, how rent is increased, and what happens when you need your property back.
The good news? With the right systems, this becomes manageable — and in many cases, smoother than landlords fear. Here are the five questions coming up repeatedly, and what you should do about each.
1) “Is Section 21 definitely gone — and what replaces it?”
Yes. Section 21 “no-fault” evictions have been abolished, which means possession is now about grounds rather than convenience. In practice, that puts more weight on:
- Keeping correct documentation
- Using the correct notice route
- Having clear evidence (rent arrears, breaches, communications, inspections)
What to do now
- Make sure you’ve got an organised digital file for every tenancy (tenancy agreement, rent schedule, certificates, inspections, correspondence).
- Tighten your tenant selection and referencing — the best possession strategy is avoiding a problem tenancy in the first place.
2) “What happens to my existing tenancy agreements?”
Most landlords are asking this because they’ve got a mix of tenancies across a portfolio — some older, some new, some fixed-term, some periodic.
The practical reality is this: the new structure drives the market towards rolling tenancies, and landlords need to ensure their paperwork and process match that reality.
What to do now
- Review your tenancy templates and renewal process so you’re not running old assumptions into new rules.
- Stop relying on “it’s fine, we’ve always done it that way.” This year, “always” isn’t a strategy.
3) “How do rent increases work now?”
Rent increases have become more structured — and easier to challenge if they’re not grounded in the local market.
The smart play here is to treat rent reviews like a professional process:
- Use local comparables
- Document your reasoning
- Communicate early, calmly, and clearly
- Avoid sudden jumps unless improvements genuinely justify them
What to do now
- Create a simple rent review file: a few comparable examples, your rationale, and your notice trail.
- If you’re trying to retain a good tenant, consider “best tenant economics”: a slightly lower increase can beat a void period every day of the week.
4) “What’s the deal with pets, discrimination, and rent in advance?”
Landlords are seeing more emphasis on fairness and access — including how properties are marketed and how applicants are treated.
The direction of travel is clear:
- Pet requests need sensible consideration
- Blanket exclusions create risk
- Large demands for rent upfront are being tightened
What to do now
- Update advert wording so it’s neutral and compliant.
- Replace “policy-by-habit” with “policy-by-process”: written criteria, consistent application, clean paper trail.
5) “What new compliance and enforcement should I take seriously?”
Two major themes are coming through strongly:
(a) Accountability and oversight — including a landlord database and an ombudsman-style route for complaints and redress.
(b) Property condition expectations — particularly around damp, mould, hazards, and timely repairs.
This isn’t just about avoiding penalties. It’s about reducing disputes and keeping tenancies stable.
What to do now
- Build a repairs protocol: how issues are reported, response times, contractor booking, updates to tenants, and record keeping.
- Treat damp and condensation like a system, not a blame game: ventilation, extraction, insulation checks, tenant guidance, and evidence.
A simple landlord checklist for the next 14 days
If you do nothing else, do this:
- Audit your tenancy paperwork for each property (certs, agreements, notices, right-to-rent records)
- Tighten referencing and affordability checks (especially if you’re seeing more guarantors)
- Put a rent review method in place (comparables + rationale + notice trail)
- Create a repair response protocol (especially damp/condensation)
- Standardise your advert wording and applicant selection criteria
If you want to stay calm and in control this year, treat the Renters’ Rights Act like a systems upgrade, not a drama.
Ashmore Residential can help you:
- Review your tenancy setup across your portfolio
- Tighten compliance and documentation
- Create a rent review process that protects income and reduces disputes
- Implement a repairs protocol that keeps tenants satisfied and risk low
Call us on 020 8366 9777 or email info@ashmoreresidential.com and we’ll book a practical landlord review.
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