Last night (13/11/25) the Government published its long awaited timeline for the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA).  It can be seen here, and in summary says:

Key Changes for Landlords

From 1 May 2026:

1. Abolition of Section 21 (No-Fault Evictions)
   • Landlords will no longer be able to evict tenants just by serving a Section 21 notice. There is no mention of what will happen to any Section 21 that have been served prior to May 1st.
   • Repossession will now rely on “possession grounds” (e.g. rent arrears, anti-social behaviour), which are being strengthened.
2. New Tenancy Type: Assured Periodic Tenancies
   • Housing Act Fixed-term tenancies will be replaced by assured periodic tenancies.
   • Tenants can give two months’ notice to leave.
   • Landlords must provide written information about the tenancy, and for existing tenancies, give tenants a government-published “Information Sheet” by 31 May 2026. This will mainly affect oral tenancies.

     Rent Increases

     • Rent can only be increased once a year under a revised Section 13 procedure.
     • Landlords must give at least 2 months’ notice of a rent increase.
3. Ban on Rent Bidding and Limits on Advance Rent
   • Landlords and agents will no longer be allowed to ask for or accept offers above the advertised rent.
   • Charging more than one month’s rent in advance will be prohibited. But, tenants can offer more than one month.
4. Anti-Discrimination Rules
   • It will be illegal to refuse tenants because they have children or are on benefits.
   • Landlords must assess candidates fairly; blanket policies like “No DSS” will no longer stand. Although this has been the situation for agents after a couple of court rulings.
5. Pets
   • Tenants will have the right to request a pet. Landlords must respond within 28 days and provide a “legitimate reason” if they refuse.
   • There could be new, non-binding conditions (e.g. requiring tenant to have pet-damage insurance).

Stronger Enforcement & Penalties

• From December 27th, 2025, Local councils will have greater inspection powers, including demand for documents, access to data, etc.
• Civil penalties will be increased; repeat offenders may face much bigger fines.
• Some breaches (e.g. failing to provide a written statement of tenancy terms, or accepting rent above advertised) could lead to criminal penalties.
• PRS Database & Ombudsman

• • From late 2026, landlords will need to register on a new Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database.
  • The database will hold property details, safety compliance (EPC, gas, etc), and enforcement history.
  • A Landlord Ombudsman will be introduced. Membership is likely to be mandatory, and it will handle disputes between landlords and tenants.
  • The ombudsman scheme will be paid for by landlords, though the “charging model” is still to be confirmed.

Minimum Property Standards

• • Over the longer term (phase 3), there’ll be a Decent Homes Standard for private rented properties. 2035/37
  • Awaab’s Law (on serious hazards like mould) will be extended to PRS landlords, with legally enforceable repair timeframes. Anticipated 2028
  • Energy efficiency: the government is considering stricter EPC (energy performance) rules.  We await a new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) to be announced.

Legal / Court Process Updates

• • The courts will be supported to handle more possession claims: digital court services are being developed.
  • A new, end-to-end digital possession system is planned (from 2026) to simplify evictions via legal grounds rather than Section 21.
  • Monitoring and evaluation of the reforms: the government will evaluate at 2- and 5-year intervals to check how the changes are working.

Risks & Challenges for Landlords

• Higher Compliance Costs: Registering on a national database, joining a mandatory ombudsman scheme, ensuring all tenancies are documented properly — all this means more admin.
• Potential Fines / Criminal Liability: The roadmap explicitly warns of penalties (even criminal) if landlords breach some of the new rules (e.g. not providing written terms, or accepting rent above the listed price).
• Less Flexibility for Eviction: Without Section 21, landlords will need to rely on Section 8 grounds, which may be more difficult or slower in some cases.
• Stricter Standards Over Time: Decent Homes Standard and Awaab-style health & safety requirements may require investment to upgrade properties.
• Income Risk: Caps on rent increases (once a year) could constrain ability to react to cost increases (maintenance, mortgage, tax).
• Tenant Selection Pressure: With anti-discrimination rules, there might be more pressure to assess potential tenants carefully — some landlords worry this will lead to being more selective, or higher rejection rates. Indeed, some landlords are already expressing concern that these changes could drive them out of the rental market.
• Exodus Risk: There’s a concern (shared by some in the sector) that more burdensome regulation could cause smaller or marginal landlords to exit, reducing available rental housing.