Renters’ Rights Act comes into force

A raft of new protections for renters and a ban on no-fault evictions are now live, after the Renters’ Rights Act came into force this morning (1 May).

A new regime for landlords and tenants has been in development for years, having been initiated with the previous government’s Renters’ Reform Bill - the current Labour government’s new version of that legislation was passed last autumn. 

The new protections that come into force today include limiting landlords from increasing rents more than once a year and restricting upfront rent demands to one month’s payment.

Bidding wars have been banned, renters will be able to end any tenancy with no more than two months’ notice, and it is now illegal to discriminate against prospective tenants for being on benefits or having children. Pet requests must be reasonably considered.

It also includes a ban on Section 21 eviction, under which landlords could evict tenants without justification. Possession claims using Section 21 that are already going through the courts will proceed as normal.

“Renters have been living at the mercy of rogue landlords and in fear of losing their home for too long,” said housing secretary Steve Reed.

“We are putting a stop to this with historic changes that give renters the security they deserve - marking the beginning of a new era for private renters.”

The new laws come with penalties of up to £40,000 if they are broken, and councils have been given new powers and more resources to investigate and clamp down on rogue landlords.

Matt Downie, chief executive of homelessness charity Crisis, said private renters would “finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief” without the threat of no fault evictions. 

“Section 21 evictions have long been one of the leading causes of homelessness,” he said. “At last, private renters can feel safe and secure in their homes without the threat of an unnecessary eviction forcing them into homelessness.”

Douglas Rhodes, partner at Trowers & Hamlins, agreed that the legislation was a “once-in-a-generation shift of rights in favour of renters”, but said that landlords could find themselves “stuck in a Court system that is under such pressure that it can take years to evict tenants irrespective of the level of default”. 

“The impact on the supply of homes for rent remains to be seen, but it is certainly the case that being a landlord will be a financially riskier pursuit under the new system,” he said.

Dr Maya Singer Hobbs, senior research fellow at IPPR, said the act was a “long-overdue rebalancing of power between landlords and renters”, but said the reform did not go far enough in tackling the cost of renting itself. 

“Affordability remains a defining challenge in the private rented sector, and without action to address it, many will continue to feel the squeeze,” she said. 

“The government should build on this progress by exploring options on how to better limit rent increases and provide renters with the long-term stability they need.”

Laura Southgate, partner at law firm Cripps, said there was “real apprehension” among landlords and agents, describing parts of the legislation as “disconnected from the day‑to‑day realities of the private rented sector”. 

She said there was a “lack of clarity” on issues like anti-rental biddings and bans on advance rent which “may only be resolved through case law or further guidance”.

Southgate also said that promised court reforms, to help deal with eviction proceedings under the new system, were “opaque”.

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said that while today was ”undoubtedly a significant moment” other parts of the act, including the planned Decent Homes Standard, the private rented sector Ombudsman and the PRS landlord database, had yet to be implemented.

“It is therefore vital that landlords continue to keep on top of how these remaining reforms will be rolled out to ensure they remain compliant with their legal obligations,” he said.