Published by: Church & Hawes
RENTERS RIGHTS BILL IS NOW AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT! PLEASE SEE COMMENCEMENT DATES BELOW. UPDTATED JANUARY 2026RRA 1 – RRA 7 (Commences 1st May 2026).
RR8 – RR11 (Dates to be confirmed/expected late 2026 onwards).
RRA 1. Offers in Excess of Marketing Price/Rental Bidding. (From 1st May 26)
Since the Renters Rights Act became law, it will be illegal to accept offers in excess of the marketing price. (Agents and landlords who ignore this would be unable to serve notices and also open to civil penalties of up to £7,000 for landlords or anyone acting directly or indirectly on their behalf for the first offence). Landlords and Agents can receive multiple civil penalties for continued and repeat breaches.
RRA 2. Pets. (From 1st May 26)
Tenants will have the right to request a pet in their rental property, and landlords cannot unreasonably deny this request. It is also important to understand that a refusal must be based on location specific reasons, (I do not like pets are had a bad experience in the past are not considered by the new Law to be valid reasons). Please also note under the “Equality Act” permission must be granted for service animals for disabled tenants. If you refuse permission for a pet, the tenant can take their request to the tribunal for independent adjudication.
RRA 3. Payments in Advance. (From 1st May 26)
Under the (Renters Rights Act 25), it is illegal for Church & Hawes or Landlords to take advanced rental payments. This means that only the first months rent and the five weeks security deposit (including the holding deposit are allowed) The civil penalties for breaches of the above are £7,000 for the first offence and £30,000 for each subsequent breach. This means we are unable to take any payments above the permitted amounts. All rental payments will have to be paid per calendar month.
RRA 4. Rent Repayment Orders. (From 1st May 26)
The Act will extend rent repayment orders (RRO) to the offences of knowingly or recklessly misusing a possession ground, breach of restriction on letting or marketing a dwelling-house, continued tenancy reform breach after imposition of a financial penalty, continued breach of landlord redress scheme regulations, imposition of a financial penalty, providing false information on the PRS Database when purporting to comply with PRS.
* All current rent repayment Orders are preserved
* Tribunal can award up to 24 months rent for such breaches
The list below is not exclusive and their are other breaches
* Breach of redress scheme & database requirements (When this comes into force)
* Marketing a property for rental within 12 months of using 1 or 1A
* Recklessly missing using a ground
* Failure to serve on tenant a written statement of tenancy terms within 28 days
* Repeated breaches of other regulations
RRA 5. Discrimination. (From 1st May 26)
Since the Renters Rights Act became Law in 2025, it is illegal to discriminate against tenants receiving benefit and tenants with children or pets. Church & Hawes also adhere to the “ Discrimination Act" in the UK which is the Equality Act 2010.
RRA 6. Tenancy Agreement/Notice Periods/Re-Marketing. (From 1st May 26)
Tenancies will be on a rolling periodic month to month basis. (Fixed term tenancies will be abolished) Tenant must exchange a legally binding Tenancy Agreement. If you wish to move back into the property or wish to sell the property then a Section 8 notice must be served to give notice (Section 21 notices are abolished from 1st May 2026, but realistically earlier than that), giving a minimum of FOUR CLEAR MONTHS notice from a rent due date.
The tenant will have a protected tenancy for the first 12 months before they can be evicted, notice can be served by the landlord after 8 months using the correct grounds. There are many other grounds that can be used for different reasons/timescales. A list of these can be provided on request.
The tenant will be required to give TWO month’s notice from the rent due date to end the tenancy and the tenant can serve this from the date the tenancy starts. It is recommended that at least SIX months before you require the property back you should review your position so as, to allow sufficient time for the Section 8 notice to be served. Please note that if a tenant does not leave at the expiry of the SECTION 8 this will involve going to court for eviction (Timescales unknown).
Once notice has been served on your tenant for reasons of selling the property, moving yourself or a close family member into the property as a principle home you are not able to market the property for rent or use as a holiday let or under a license for approx. 12 months from the expiry of the 4 months notice period (16 months in total from when the Section 8 notice was served) (Before the legislation and as an example, if a property did not sell, then a landlord would have relet the property, this is now against the legislation within the time frames described). This leaves you with a potentially long void period. Flexibility on your sale price would be key in securing a buyer, particularly in a difficult market. Otherwise, this could result in significant financial loss.
YOU MUST THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE SERVING NOTICE FOR THE REASON OF SELLING.
RRA 7. Increasing rents/Section 13. (From 1st May 26)
The rent you decide on is usually paid monthly in advance. This can only be reviewed on an annual basis by serving a Section 13 notice with a minimum of TWO months notice from a rent due date before the new rent can be liable, It is advisable to start discussing a rental increase at least 3 months prior to the allowable increase date. This must be a reasonable amount and based on the local market rents and comparable evidence is recommended. If the tenant disagrees, they can go to the tier 1 tribunal for adjudication.
A tribunal could take 6 months approx. meaning 6 months of no rent increase and also no backdated rent is payable by the tenant, even if the tribunal finds in the Landlords favour. It is important to increase by a sensible and affordable amount to try and avoid this. The Tenancy will be on a month to month basis with specific notice periods as described in the (Tenancy Agreement).
RRA 8. Landlords Database PHASE 2 (DATES 2027).
The Government will be introducing a Landlords database in 2027 (exact date unknown), this will be a mandatory requirement. We understand that certain information will need to be added to the database and each property will receive a registration number (which will need to be displayed, when the property is marketed/has a tenant in situ). This will have to be completed by the Landlord but if agents are required to upload this information (to be confirmed by the Government) then due to the increased level of work this requires, Church & Hawes will charge £25 plus vat per property (This is required by Law ) Local councils will be able to take enforcement action against landlords who do not register. If a landlord lets or advertises a property without it being on the database they can be issued with a civil penalty of up to £7,000. Continuous offences could result in fines of up to £40,000 or could face criminal prosecution. Landlords will need to be registered in order to use certain possession grounds.
RRA 9. Private Rented Landlord Ombudsmen PHASE 2 (2028).
The Government is introducing a Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsmen Service which all private landlords in England will with assured or regulated tenancies will be required to join by law (This will be chargeable by the Ombudsmen). This is being introduced to provide a quick, fair, impartial and binding resolution for tenants complaints about their landlord. This will bring tenant - landlord complaint resolution in line with established redress practices for tenants in social housing and consumers of property agent services. We are awaiting timescales for when this will be operational.
RRA 10. Decent Homes Standard PHASE 3 (DATES TBC).
The Decent Homes Standard will be introduced to the private rented sector as well as social housing ensuring properties meet minimum quality requirements. The standard requires properties to be in a reasonable state of repair, have modern facilities and services, be warm and energy-efficient, and meet the minimum safety standards . All Landlords in the private rented sector must take steps to ensure their property meets the DHS standards. Local councils have powers to issue civil penalties of up to £7,000. This is to ensure landlords proactively manage and maintain the safety and decency of their properties.
RRA 11. Awaabs Law PHASE 3 (DATES TBC).
All private landlords will be required to meet “AWAABS LAW” requirements for example, on timescales for dealing with hazards such as damp and mould. Initial or minor noncompliance will incur a civil penalty of up to £7,000 and serious persistent or repeat non-compliance a civil penalty of up to £40,000 with the alternative of criminal prosecution.
Landlords and Agents are still working under current legislation until the applicable commencement dates, but please be advised of the changes and decide whether you wish to serve a Section 21 in the very near future!!
As you can see the lettings industry is experiencing quite a few changes. It is important to adhere to the “letter of the law” and apply the “Spirit of the Law” to ensure minimal impact.