The Bill returned to the House of Commons on Monday last week with high expectation that the government wants it passed into law in time for Housing Secretary Angela Rayner to announce it at the Labour conference, beginning on September 28.
Property Checklists expert Kate Faulkner says “we are now at the final stage: Consideration of Amendments. Although the Bill could technically go through a period of ‘ping pong’ between both Houses, it’s likely this will be cut short so Royal Assent can be granted before the end of September. It’s important to understand that Royal Assent does not mean immediate changes. Private Rented Sector (PRS) experts have requested a grace period before certain provisions are enforced and some measures, like the proposed PRS database, are likely still a long way off.”
She forecasts that while the Bill will likely receive Royal Assent and pass into law before the Labour conference the earliest likely implementation date would be January 2026 or more likely March or April.
Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action, states “it’s obvious that the first measures to be rolled out will be the abolition of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, the shift to open-ended periodic tenancies, and stronger Section 8 grounds for possession. Alongside that, we will see limits on rent increases to once a year through a Section 13 notice, an end to rent bidding wars, a ban on asking more than one month’s rent upfront, plus new rights for tenants to request pets and protection from discrimination. The big question is whether the government will put proper investment into the court system to cope with these changes, which does not appear to be the case at the moment. Without it, landlord confidence will really suffer.”
Allison Thompson, head of lettings for LRG (formerly Leaders Romans Group) says “the Bill is expected to apply to new tenancies from day one – including the Rent Increase Amendment, which will immediately change how rents are reviewed and negotiated. While the details on existing tenancies are still to be confirmed, these measures will likely be phased in over time. Other elements, such as the Decent Homes Standard, the Ombudsman, the Landlord Portal and Awaab’s Law, are likely to follow once the infrastructure is in place, reflecting the scale of operational change required. But landlords and letting agents need to be preparing now – especially for reforms that will affect their tenancy agreements and rent review processes from day one.”
Susie Crolla, managing director of The Guild of Letting & Management, adds “I believe that mandatory membership to the Landlord Ombudsman Service, along with the tenant’s right to request pets, the restriction to prevent landlords from requesting more than one month’s rent in advance, prohibiting landlords from accepting above the advertised rent and rental bidding, as well as the preventing discrimination against tenants in receipt of benefits and with children are also likely to be implemented on 1st April 2026.”
Lettings agents’ trade body Propertymark has set out details of the major elements of the Bill as it stands now, and what it believes could be a timeline for implementation – although it stresses that in many dates, no deadlines have been given by the government.
Tenancy reform – It has been made clear that the new tenancy system will be implemented in a single stage, with the move to periodic tenancies, the abolition of Section 21, and the reformed grounds for possession, putting all tenancies on the same footing immediately. These are likely to be the first changes enacted by the UK Government; however, no dates have been confirmed.
Student Accommodation – Purpose-built student accommodation will be exempt from the legislation if the provider is registered for UK Government-approved codes, because these tenancies are not assured. This means they will still be able to offer fixed-term tenancies.
Landlords renting HMOs to full-time students will be able to use the new mandatory Ground 4A, which enables them to regain possession to relet the property to full-time students.
Importantly, landlords and agents must ensure that, before granting the tenancy, the tenants are given written notice of the landlord’s intention to use this ground for possession.
Rent In Advance – The Bill restricts advance rent payments to one month, despite arguments for exceptions for tenants who lack income, credit history, or guarantors.
Rental Bidding – Landlords and agents will be required to publish an asking rent for their property, and it will be illegal to accept offers made above this rate.
New and revised possession grounds – Agents and landlords can expect, in most circumstances, notice periods to be either four weeks or four months, depending on the possession ground being relied upon.
The Bill gives tenants more time to find a home if landlords evict to move in (Ground 1) or sell (Ground 1A). Evidence in support will be required to prevent misuse.
The Bill contains a ‘no reletting period’ although it is so far unknown whether this will be six or 12 months.
Rent reviews and appeals – Increases are limited to once a year, and will need to be communicated to tenants using a standard template form, which the UK Government will provide once the Bill has passed. As now, landlords will still be able to increase rents to market price for their properties, and an independent tribunal will make a judgment on this, if needed.
Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman – All private sector landlords in England with assured or regulated tenancies will be required to join, regardless of whether they use a letting or managing agent.
The UK Government has stated that the Ombudsman will be introduced ‘as soon as possible’ after Royal Assent.
Private Rented Sector Database – The design of the database, including information that will be collected and made publicly available, is still under discussion and will require secondary legislation to be enacted before it can be introduced.
Decent Homes Standard and ‘Awaab’s Law’ – Both already apply to the social rented sector, and the Bill proposes to extend these standards to homes in the private rented sector.
Parliament is holding a separate consultation on the Decent Homes Standard, which indicates that it will be fully implemented by either 2035 or 2037.
Rents in England Risen 4.3% Since Renters’ Rights Bill
Some landlords are increasing rents prior to the Renters’ Rights Bill coming into place, figures from Go.Compare home insurance show.
The bill was introduced in September 2024 and is expected to come into effect in late 2025 or early 2026, with the headline alteration being the abolition of Section 21 Evictions.
Nathan Blackler, home insurance expert at Go.Compare, said “these latest figures indicate that the Renters’ Rights Bill could have had an unwanted side effect for tenants, more of whom seem to be dealing with rent rises since the announcement.
Renters should be wary that costs could increase ahead of the bill taking effect. If you do experience a rent rise, remember that your landlord must follow certain rules before doing so, like those outlined in your contract, and you can challenge the rise if these haven’t been adhered to. A rent rise won’t impact your contents insurance. But, if you’re worried about extra costs, it can be worth comparing policies to see if it can help alleviate the extra expenses from the rise, as you might find the same level of protection for a lower price.”
Hotspots
Tenants in Broxbourne and Camden have seen the largest proportional rent increases in the country since September 2024.
Both areas recorded a 12.2% jump in monthly rents over that period.
The average monthly rent in the Hertfordshire town is now £178 higher than it was in September last year, while renting in the trendy London borough has gone up by an eye-watering £306.
Other places with significant proportional rent increases include Slough (11.9%), Gloucester (9.8%) and Newcastle upon Tyne (9.5%). Another London district, Barking and Dagenham, narrowly missed the top five highest increases, with average rents rising by 9.4% since September 2024.
Brent, in London, experienced the biggest decrease over this period. Rents dropped by 3.7% with tenants here now paying £79 per month less. It’s one of only five areas in England to see a decrease, the others being the
Derbyshire Dales (2.1%), Melton (1.8%), Kirklees (1.2%) and Bristol (0.7%).