No-Fault Evictions End: A Historic Shift for Tenants
Starting Friday, no-fault evictions will be outlawed—ending a seven-year wait and crossing the terms of four prime ministers since the promise was first made. This landmark change is embedded in **Labour’s Renters’ Rights Act**, which gained Royal Assent last October and takes effect from May 1, 2026. Housing Minister **Matthew Pennycook** emphasizes the Act’s goal to “decisively level the playing field between landlords and tenants.”
Section 21 Notices Scrapped
The Act delivers a sweeping ban on **Section 21 (S21) no-fault eviction notices** under the 1988 Housing Act. Previously, landlords could evict tenants with just two months’ notice without citing any reason, a practice widely blamed for fueling England’s homelessness surge. This ban fulfills pledges made by former Conservative PM **Theresa May** in 2019 and was echoed in Boris Johnson’s manifesto. However, earlier Conservative governments delayed the ban indefinitely, citing the need for court reforms amid pressure from landlord MPs.
Labour’s renewed commitment, confirmed in the first King’s Speech after their election, ends no-fault evictions for all tenancies, new and existing. Mr. Pennycook notes this protects tenants from arbitrary evictions, especially those who report issues like damp or mould rather than suffer in silence.
Landlords retain the right to evict only for legitimate causes such as significant rent arrears or anti-social behaviour. A new **Section 8 notice** allows evictions for landlord use or sale of the property but requires four months’ notice and cannot be issued within the first year of tenancy.
Fixed-Term Contracts Abolished: Rolling Tenancies Become Standard
Starting May 1, fixed-term tenancy agreements will be outlawed. All tenancies, including current contracts, will convert automatically to rolling monthly agreements. This grants tenants greater mobility to move when circumstances change or dissatisfaction arises. Tenants must give just two months’ notice to vacate, freeing them from rigid lease end-dates.
Rent Increase Protections: One Hike Per Year, Market-Rate Caps
The Renters’ Rights Act restricts rent increases to once annually and caps hikes at prevailing market rates. Landlords must serve two months’ notice and use a formal Section 13 notice to raise rent. Rent review clauses within contracts will no longer override these rules.
While rent campaigners call for stronger rent controls amid soaring costs, Labour insists that boosting housing supply will ease prices. The **Chartered Institute of Housing’s** latest review reveals UK rents reached record highs relative to earnings in March 2025.
Tribunal Powers to Challenge Excessive Rent Hikes
The Act empowers tenants to challenge unfair rent increases via the **First Tier Tribunal (FTT)**, which will set fair market rents. From May, the FTT cannot approve rent above the landlord’s proposed rate, nor backdate increases if the landlord wins. In hardship cases, the tribunal may defer hikes by two months.
New Rights for Pet Owners
Renters gain the right to request permission to keep pets, and landlords must consider such requests without unreasonable refusal. Currently, no specific laws protect renters with pets, leaving landlords discretion to reject them. To safeguard landlords, the Act permits requests for insurance covering pet-related damages.
Crackdown on Bidding Wars and Excessive Upfront Rent
The legislation tackles the rampant practice of bidding wars, where tenants pay well above asking prices amid housing shortages. Landlords and agents must publicly disclose the expected rent and cannot solicit or accept higher bids. Similar measures exist in housing-stricken countries like New Zealand.
Additionally, landlords may only demand one month’s rent upfront after signing a tenancy agreement, banning demands for multiple months in advance often used to outbid competitors.
Ban on Benefit and Family Discrimination
The Act explicitly prohibits landlords from refusing tenants solely because they receive benefits or have children. Shelter reports that 20% of families struggle to rent in England due to family status discrimination, and official surveys show 10% of private renters were denied tenancies for receiving benefits. This new law ensures fairer access to housing by outlawing such blanket bans and reinforcing protections against discriminatory practices.
Extending Awaab’s Law: Faster Hazard Repairs
Named after toddler **Awaab Ishak**, who tragically died from mould exposure in a social housing property, **Awaab’s Law** mandates social landlords to investigate hazards within 14 days, fix them within seven days, and perform emergency repairs within 24 hours. The Renters’ Rights Act extends these stringent deadlines to private landlords, compelling all to swiftly address health risks in rental homes. The exact implementation date for this extension remains pending.
New Safety Standards and Enforcement
For the first time, the private rented sector will face a **Decent Homes Standard**. Currently, 21% of privately rented properties are classed as “non-decent,” with over 500,000 containing serious hazards. Landlords ignoring these risks risk fines up to £7,000 and potential prosecution.
By late 2026, a **Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman** will launch, delivering fast, binding dispute resolutions and maintaining a database to help landlords comply with legal obligations.
