No-fault evictions, extreme rent increases, and outlandish bidding wars are now things of the past in England, thanks to the Renters' Rights Act. Introduced on May 1, this legislation represents the most significant change to renting since Margaret Thatcher's Housing Act in 1988. Under Labour's new laws, many renters are feeling more secure about their living situations. A recent study from Barclays found that six in ten tenants believe the legislation has improved their housing protections, and 19% say they are now more likely to remain in their current tenancies.
Landlord Letter Deadline: May 31
However, it is not solely up to renters to educate themselves about the changes. Landlords must issue a key document outlining the details, and they have until the end of the week to do so. For existing tenancies signed before the new Act came into force on May 1, renters in England—approximately 4 million according to government statistics—must be given a document called the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026. This can be provided by either the letting agent or the landlord, but it must be done by May 31. Failure to comply carries a hefty fine of up to £7,000.
Who Must Receive the Document?
The rule applies to pre-existing assured and assured shorthold tenancies, which have now automatically been converted to rolling contracts as of May 1. This means tenants can give two months' notice to leave without needing to sign lengthy year-long contracts. Landlords cannot simply send the document to one housemate; every named tenant must receive an individual copy. The document must be the exact government-issued PDF (not a link), and it can be delivered by post, email, or hand delivery. Texting the link is not valid.
Elliot Castle, CEO of Castle Property Group, told Metro that smaller landlords renting out just one home need to ensure they act on the changes. 'Larger landlords with big portfolios will probably have made arrangements to sort out these administrative tasks weeks ago, but some smaller landlords who manage properties alongside other careers may not yet have got to grips with their new responsibilities. These changes mean a huge shake-up for the whole sector and aim to make everything fairer and easier to understand.'
Further Changes Coming
Since the Act is being introduced in phases, additional changes will come later this year, including an online register of all landlords and a requirement to meet the Decent Homes Standard. 'There's no doubt that while the new rules are there to make positive changes in the industry, it's going to be an incredibly tough time for smaller landlords as they get to grips with significant hikes in both costs and complexity,' Castle added. 'It's really important landlords get to grips with these changes, and fast.'
What Is the Renters' Rights Act?
The Renters' Rights Act was passed into law on October 27, 2025, and the majority of its new changes came into force on May 1. Key provisions include:
- Limiting rent increases to once a year and in line with market rates
- Ending Section 21 'no-fault' evictions
- Eradicating bidding wars among tenants
- Stamping out discrimination against renters on benefits or those with children
- Converting all fixed-term and assured shorthold tenancies into periodic (rolling) tenancies, allowing tenants to give two months' notice
- Stopping landlords from declining requests to keep pets unless a valid reason is given
- Stopping landlords from asking for more than one month's rent as an upfront payment
These changes represent a major overhaul of the rental sector, aiming to provide greater stability and fairness for tenants while imposing new responsibilities on landlords.
