Section 21 is gone. From 1 October 2026, every new private tenancy in England becomes periodic from day one, every landlord must register on a national property portal, and the Decent Homes Standard extends to the private rented sector. Miss a step and the penalty can reach £7,000 per breach — or, in serious cases, a ban from letting altogether.
At Anteire, we have spent months reviewing the Act, consulting legal partners, and modelling the operational impact for our investor clients. The message is clear: the era of light-touch compliance is over. Landlords who act early will protect their income, their tenant relationships, and the long-term value of their portfolios. Those who wait risk enforcement action, void periods, and reputational damage.
This checklist translates the Act’s 340 pages into the practical steps every landlord in England must take, anchored in the latest market data so you can see not just what to do, but why it matters.
The numbers behind the reform
The private rented sector houses 4.6 million households in England, according to the latest English Housing Survey. The government’s own impact assessment estimates that 11% of those tenancies – roughly half a million – are currently non-compliant with the Decent Homes Standard. The Act closes that gap by giving local authorities sharper teeth and tenants a clearer route to redress.
From our analysis of HomeLet’s rental index, average rents across the UK rose 6.7% in the year to May 2026, with the East Midlands and North West both recording annual growth above 8%. At the same time, Zoopla reports that tenant demand per property remains 40% higher than the pre-pandemic average. In a market this competitive, compliant, well-managed stock commands a premium and suffers fewer void periods. The landlords who treat the Act as a quality benchmark, rather than a burden, stand to gain the most.
Key changes at a glance
| Requirement | Old regime | New regime | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 21 evictions | Allowed with two months’ notice | Abolished entirely | 1 October 2026 |
| Tenancy structure | Assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) | All tenancies become periodic with no fixed end date | 1 October 2026 |
| Tenant Information Sheet | Not required | Mandatory – must be served before occupation | 1 October 2026 |
| Decent Homes Standard | Applied only to social housing | Extended to private rented sector | 1 April 2027 |
| Property Portal registration | None | All landlords must register on the national portal | 1 April 2027 |
| Ombudsman membership | Voluntary | Compulsory for all private landlords | 1 April 2027 |
| Redress schemes | Limited to agents | All landlords must join | 1 April 2027 |
| Rent repayment orders | Up to 12 months’ rent | Extended to 24 months’ rent | 1 October 2026 |
| Civil penalties | Up to £5,000 | Up to £7,000 per breach | 1 October 2026 |
Sources: DLUHC, Renter’s Reform Bill impact assessment, HomeLet Rental Index May 2026, Zoopla Rental Market Report Q2 2026.
The compliance checklist
1. Abolish Section 21 from your vocabulary
The Act removes Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 entirely. Landlords can no longer end a tenancy without a specific, legally defined ground. All tenancies will be periodic from day one, with tenants able to give two months’ notice at any time. For landlords, possession will only be granted under the strengthened Section 8 grounds – for example, if you wish to sell the property (ground 1A), move in yourself or a family member (ground 1), or where the tenant is in serious rent arrears.
What to do now:
– Review your tenancy agreements. Remove any reference to Section 21.
– Familiarise yourself with the new mandatory and discretionary grounds for possession. We recommend keeping a one-page summary in each property file.
– If you are planning to sell a property, note that you cannot serve notice until you have owned it for at least 12 months.
2. Serve the Tenant Information Sheet before move-in
From 1 October 2026, every new tenancy – and every existing tenancy that rolls onto a periodic basis – must be accompanied by a government-prescribed Tenant Information Sheet. The document explains tenants’ rights and landlords’ obligations in plain English. Failure to provide it renders any subsequent Section 8 notice invalid and exposes the landlord to a fine of up to £7,000 for a first offence.
What to do now:
– Download the official Information Sheet from gov.uk (expected publication August 2026).
– Integrate it into your onboarding pack. We advise our clients to obtain a signed acknowledgment from the tenant and store it with the tenancy agreement.
– For existing tenancies, serve the sheet by 1 October 2026 and record the date of service.
3. Register on the national landlord portal
A new, mandatory online portal will be launched by the government. All private landlords must register themselves and each of their rental properties. The portal will hold a public-facing database of compliant landlords and properties, allowing tenants to verify a landlord’s status before signing a tenancy. Non-registration will be a criminal offence.
What to do now:
– Monitor gov.uk for the portal launch (expected Q1 2027).
– Prepare a schedule of all your properties, including EPC ratings, gas safety certificate expiry dates, and electrical installation condition report dates. The portal will likely require this information.
– If you use a letting agent, confirm in writing who will be responsible for registration. The legal duty remains with the landlord.
4. Meet the Decent Homes Standard
By 1 April 2027, every privately rented home must meet the Decent Homes Standard, which has applied to social housing since 2001. The standard covers four criteria:
– Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) must be absent.
– The property must be in a reasonable state of repair.
– It must have reasonably modern facilities and services.
– It must provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.
A Savills report from March 2026 estimated that 13% of private rented stock in England currently fails the standard, with the highest failure rates in the North East (18%) and Yorkshire & The Humber (16%). Bringing a property up to standard typically costs between £3,000 and £8,000, according to JLL’s refurbishment cost guide, though the figure can be higher for older, solid-wall properties.
What to do now:
– Commission an HHSRS assessment from a qualified environmental health practitioner. Many local authorities offer this service.
– Prioritise remedial works that address Category 1 hazards – damp, excess cold, and fall risks are the most common.
– Budget for improvements. If you are acquiring a new property through Anteire, we can factor a refurbishment allowance into your deal analysis. Illustrative figures. Not financial advice.
5. Join a government-approved redress scheme
All landlords will be required to join an ombudsman-style redress scheme. This gives tenants a free, independent route to resolve complaints without going to court. The scheme will have the power to compel landlords to take remedial action and pay compensation of up to £25,000.
What to do now:
– Research the two approved schemes: the Housing Complaints Resolution Service and the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman. Both are expected to open for landlord registration in early 2027.
– Update your complaints procedure. The Act requires landlords to acknowledge complaints within five working days and provide a final response within 20 working days.
– Keep a written record of all tenant communications. In our experience, meticulous documentation is the single most effective defence against escalated disputes.
6. Adjust your rent review process
The Act limits rent increases to once per year and requires two months’ written notice on a prescribed form. Tenants can challenge above-market increases at the First-tier Tribunal. While the legislation stops short of imposing a hard rent cap, the tribunal will use local market evidence to determine a fair rent. HomeLet’s local rent indices and Zoopla’s city-level data will become essential tools for justifying any increase.
What to do now:
– Adopt a standardised annual rent review date for each tenancy.
– Before proposing an increase, gather three comparable market rents from reputable sources. We provide our clients with a quarterly rental market summary drawn from HomeLet, Zoopla, and ONS data.
– If a tenant challenges the increase, be prepared to present your evidence promptly. Delays can result in the tribunal setting a lower rent than you proposed.
7. Prepare for stronger local authority enforcement
The Act significantly expands local authority powers. Councils can issue civil penalties of up to £7,000 per breach, apply for rent repayment orders of up to 24 months’ rent, and, in the most serious cases, ban landlords from operating. The government has also committed to funding an additional 200 enforcement officers across England.
What to do now:
– Conduct a full compliance audit of every property in your portfolio. Check gas safety certificates, EPCs, electrical installation reports, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and legionella risk assessments.
– Ensure all deposits are protected and prescribed information has been served within 30 days.
– If you self-manage, consider whether a professional managing agent could reduce your regulatory risk. We are happy to recommend vetted partners.
What this means for your investment strategy
The Renters’ Rights Act will reshape yields, but not in a uniform way. According to JLL’s latest residential forecast, the North West and East Midlands are expected to see total returns (capital growth plus net income) of 8–10% per annum over the next five years, partly because entry prices allow landlords to absorb compliance costs while maintaining cash flow. In London, where gross yields are typically 3.5–5.0%, the margin for additional expenditure is tighter, but the long-term capital appreciation outlook remains strong.
At Anteire, we are already stress-testing every deal we source against the new compliance cost profile. We model a compliance reserve of £4,000–£7,000 per unit for properties that have not been recently refurbished, and we only proceed where the projected net yield – after all costs and a prudent void allowance – sits within a range that meets our clients’ objectives. Illustrative figures. Not financial advice.
The Act also changes the liquidity profile of buy-to-let. Because Section 21 is abolished, exiting a tenancy will take longer. We are advising investors to extend their planned hold periods by 12–24 months and to factor in a six-month notice period when modelling a disposal. This makes it even more important to acquire properties in areas with deep rental demand and strong underlying sales markets – exactly the kind of data-led sourcing we specialise in.
Sources
- Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, A Fairer Private Rented Sector, 2023–2026 policy papers
- HomeLet Rental Index, May 2026
- Zoopla Rental Market Report, Q2 2026
- JLL Residential Forecasts, June 2026
- Savills, Decent Homes Cost Analysis for the PRS, March 2026
- ONS, Private rental affordability, England and Wales, 2025
Frequently asked questions
When does the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 take effect?
The main changes come into force on 1 October 2026. This includes the abolition of Section 21, the move to periodic tenancies, the mandatory Tenant Information Sheet, and the increased civil penalties and rent repayment orders. The Decent Homes Standard, national landlord portal, ombudsman membership, and redress scheme requirements follow on 1 April 2027.
Can I still evict a tenant under the new law?
Yes, but only under strengthened Section 8 grounds. You will no longer be able to serve a “no-fault” eviction notice. Valid grounds include selling the property (ground 1A, available only after 12 months of ownership), moving yourself or a family member in (ground 1), or serious rent arrears. Make sure your tenancy agreements and records reflect the new process.
Does the Decent Homes Standard apply to existing tenancies?
Yes. By 1 April 2027, every privately rented home in England — including properties already let — must meet the Decent Homes Standard. A Savills report estimates that 13% of private rented stock currently fails, with the highest failure rates in the North East (18%) and Yorkshire & The Humber (16%).
What happens if I do not register on the national landlord portal?
Non-registration will be a criminal offence. The portal will create a public-facing database of compliant landlords and properties, and tenants will be able to verify your status before signing a tenancy. Keep a schedule of your properties — including EPC ratings, gas safety certificates, and electrical installation condition report dates — ready for when registration opens.
How often can I increase the rent?
The Act limits rent increases to once per year and requires two months’ written notice on a prescribed form. Tenants can challenge above-market increases at the First-tier Tribunal, which will use local market evidence to set a fair rent. Gather at least three comparable rents from reputable sources before proposing any increase.
Find compliant buy-to-let deals with Anteire
The Renters’ Rights Act is not a threat to prepared landlords — it is a quality benchmark that will separate professional operators from the rest. In a market where tenant demand remains 40% above the pre-pandemic average, compliant, well-managed stock commands a premium and suffers fewer void periods.
At Anteire Properties, we source deals built for this new regulatory landscape. Every opportunity in our live deal alerts comes with a full compliance cost estimate, a risk-adjusted yield projection, and a clear timeline for meeting the Act’s requirements.
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Illustrative figures. Not financial advice. Property investments carry risks and returns are not guaranteed. Always conduct your own due diligence.