Renters’ Rights Act: why process and paperwork matter more than ever for landlords
The Renters’ Rights Act has now passed into law, marking one of the most significant shifts in the private rented sector in a generation. Most of the new measures will take effect in May 2026, with a national landlord database to follow later in the year.
For now, landlords are being urged to use the lead-in time to review how they manage tenancies and to stress-test their processes and paperwork, which will be increasingly important in future.
The Act is designed to strengthen tenant protections and improve standards across the sector, but for smaller landlords the practical impact is likely to be felt most acutely in the day-to-day administration of lettings. Whether properties are managed directly or through an agent, the emphasis is moving firmly towards solid evidence of compliance and getting procedures right first time.
This is evident in one of the most widely reported changes – the abolition of so-called “no-fault” evictions under section 21 – which is being replaced with a system that relies on specific grounds for possession. In practice, this will place greater importance on record-keeping and process. Where landlords need to regain possession, the ability to evidence arrears, breaches of tenancy terms or other statutory grounds will be critical, and errors in notices or documentation are likely to cause delay and added cost.
Changes to rent review rules are also expected to increase scrutiny of paperwork. Under the new framework, rent increases will be more tightly controlled, with limits on frequency and clearer routes for tenants to challenge them. For landlords facing rising costs, this makes it more important than ever that rent reviews can be justified and that review clauses, notices and supporting records are compliant.
Alongside these headline reforms, the Act strengthens enforcement powers and paves the way for a national landlord database, due to be introduced in a second phase later this year. While intended to drive up standards and transparency, this will also increase visibility of compliance failures, making informal or inconsistent approaches to tenancy management a greater risk.
Gavin Lampert the Senior Litigator within the Dispute Resolution and Litigation team at Bowling & Co comments “Much of the focus around the Act has been on the policy shift, but for many landlords the real impact will be procedural.”
“Whether you manage a property yourself or use an agent, the margin for error is narrowing. Notices, tenancy agreements, rent reviews and records all need to stand up to scrutiny if challenged.”
As regulation tightens, understanding the process, and having the paperwork to match, is set to become a defining feature of successful and compliant letting. For smaller landlords, the message is not that professional management is essential, but that informed oversight is, if they wish to avoid procedural missteps or compliance gaps.
Gavin added: “We are already seeing more landlords asking for guidance, because they want confidence that their processes are right. That’s likely to become increasingly important as the new regime beds in.
“Reviewing tenancy documentation, clarifying management responsibilities and understanding how the new rules interact with existing arrangements can help avoid problems later, particularly where possession or rent disputes arise.”
Key takeaways from the Renters’ Rights Act
- Abolition of fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies, with all tenancies moving to periodic arrangements
- Removal of section 21 “no-fault” evictions
- New and revised statutory grounds for possession, with additional safeguards for tenants where landlords seek to sell or move into a property
- Greater protections against so-called “backdoor” eviction through excessive rent increases, with tribunal oversight
- Limits on the frequency and process for rent increases
- Introduction of a mandatory Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman to provide binding dispute resolution
- Creation of a national Private Rented Sector Database, with registration required in order to rely on certain possession grounds
- Strengthened tenant rights to request a pet, which landlords must give reasonable consideration
- Extension of the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector
- Application of Awaab’s Law, imposing clear timeframes for addressing serious hazards in rented properties
- Prohibition on discrimination against tenants in receipt of benefits or with children
- Ban on rental bidding, requiring properties to be advertised at a fixed asking rent and prohibiting acceptance of higher offers
- Expanded investigatory powers and increased civil penalties for local authorities
- Strengthened rent repayment orders, including higher maximum awards and extension to superior landlords
If you would like any more information relating to this article please contact Gavin Lampert on 020 8221 8062 or at gavin.lampert@bowlinglaw.co.uk
This is not legal advice; it is intended to provide information of general interest about current legal issues.
