The biggest overhaul of the private rented sector in a generation is now law. The government has published its official implementation roadmap – and while most headlines focus on the end of Section 21, the detail shows a far wider change programme that will unfold over the rest of the decade.
Below is a clear breakdown of the three-phase rollout, what happens when, and how landlords, agents and investors should prepare.
Phase 1: End of Section 21 and new tenancy rules – 1 May 2026
From 1 May 2026, every new and existing private tenancy in England will automatically convert to an Assured Periodic Tenancy. Fixed terms disappear entirely.
Landlords will only be able to end a tenancy using updated Section 8 grounds, which expand possession rights in cases of:
- Serious, persistent rent arrears
- Anti-social behaviour
- Selling the property or moving family in (with amended notice periods)
Tenants will gain the right to remain indefinitely, unless lawfully evicted, and will be able to leave with two months’ notice at any time.
The government calls this the “heart of the Act” – effectively ending no-fault evictions from spring 2026.
Other Phase 1 changes (ALL from 1 May 2026):
- Rent rises limited to once a year, using a revised Section 13 process with two months’ notice
- Rental bidding banned – landlords and agents cannot encourage or accept offers above the advertised rent
- No more than one month’s rent in advance
- Illegal to discriminate against families with children or tenants receiving benefits
- Pets requests must be considered within 28 days, with written justification for refusal
- Stronger enforcement powers for councils and doubled rent repayment penalties
New investigatory powers for councils begin earlier – 27 December 2025 – giving enforcement teams rights to demand documents, access third-party data and inspect properties.
Phase 2: Landlord Database and Ombudsman – from late 2026
The next major shift is structural: mandatory registration and compulsory redress.
PRS Database
Launching region-by-region from late 2026, every landlord must register and pay an annual fee. Minimum data fields will include:
- Full landlord contact details (including all joint owners)
- Property address and type
- Gas, electrical and EPC documents
- Occupancy details
Once live, councils will be able to target enforcement using database information, and tenants will be able to view safety credentials before signing a contract.
Landlord Ombudsman
The new PRS Ombudsman will offer binding dispute resolution without court action.
Timeline:
- 2026–27 – scheme administrator appointed and scaled
- Mandatory membership expected in 2028, funded by landlord fees
The government intends the database and Ombudsman to integrate, so landlords only register once.
Phase 3: New standards and Awaab’s Law – early 2030s
The final phase focuses on housing quality.
- Decent Homes Standard in the PRS – consulted on for an introduction in 2035 or 2037
- Awaab’s Law extended to the PRS, setting legal deadlines for remediating serious hazards
- EPC C minimum standard by 2030 remains government policy, subject to separate legislation
- Updated Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) will also be introduced
These measures are the least time-critical for investors, but the longest-term cost drivers. Early retrofit planning will become part of portfolio strategy.
Key dates at a glance
| Date | Change |
| 27 Dec 2025 | New council enforcement powers |
| 1 May 2026 | End of Section 21, periodic tenancies, rent reforms |
| Late 2026 | PRS Database begins rollout |
| 2028 | Mandatory Ombudsman membership |
| 2030 (proposed) | EPC C standard |
| 2035–37 (consultation) | PRS Decent Homes Standard |
What this means for investors
The Act does not remove landlords’ ability to gain possession – but it forces them to follow stricter processes, and it permanently ends fixed-term letting as a strategy.
High-compliance, well-managed portfolios should benefit from:
- Clearer eviction grounds for arrears and anti-social behaviour
- Removal of “bad landlord” competition as enforcement strengthens
- Higher property standard expectations pushing out under-invested assets
However, landlords relying on rental bidding, large upfront payments or short-term turnover will need to rethink their model.
Bottom line
The Renters’ Rights Act is not a single event – it is a staged regulatory reset running from now until the mid-2030s.
For investors, the critical period is now to 2028: preparing for periodic tenancies, registration fees, database transparency and compulsory redress.
The message from government is clear: the sector will become more regulated, more data-driven and more scrutinised – but compliant landlords who invest in quality will remain fully protected.
