Renters' rights

The Renters' Rights Act is changing how private renting works in England.

The act strengthens protections for renters, places new responsibilities on landlords, and gives councils greater powers to investigate and take action where the law has not been followed.

How the act's being introduced

The act is being introduced in phases

Phase 1 – In force since May 2026

The first phase introduced major changes to tenancy law, including:

• The end of Section 21 "no-fault" evictions
• The move to periodic (rolling) tenancies
• New rules on rent increases 
• A ban on rental bidding
• Stronger protections against discrimination
• New rights for tenants to request permission for pet

Phase 2 – Expected from late 2026

Further changes are expected, including:

• A national Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database
• A new Landlord Ombudsman service
• Additional tools to support tenants, landlords and councils

Further reforms will be introduced by government over time as part of the wider rollout of the act. 

Information for tenants

If you rent privately and believe your landlord or letting agent is not following the law, we may be able to help.

We can investigate potential breaches of the Renters' Rights Act and, where appropriate, take enforcement action.

Examples of issues we may be able to assist with include:

• Attempts to evict you unlawfully
• Incorrect use of possession grounds
• Unlawful rent increases
• Rental bidding or unlawful rent advance requests
• Discrimination because you receive benefits or have children
• Harassment or improper attempts to force you to leave your home
• Failure to provide required tenancy information

How we support you

When a tenant contacts us about a possible breach of the act, we will assess the information provided and carry out initial enquiries. This may include:

• Reviewing notices, tenancy agreements and other relevant documents
• Contacting the landlord or letting agent to understand what has happened
• Identifying whether there may have been a breach or offence under the act
• Considering whether any other housing advice or homelessness support is required

Where we identify a potential tenancy-related breach, we may refer the case to Safer Renting, a specialist partner that supports us in investigating landlord non-compliance and taking enforcement action where appropriate.

Safer Renting will work with both the tenant and landlord to help establish the facts and gather evidence. The findings of the investigation will help determine whether enforcement action is appropriate and, if so, what type of action or penalty may be considered.

Examples of housing and tenancy-related issues include:

• Unlawful eviction or harassment
• Incorrect use of possession grounds
• Unlawful rent increases
• Rental bidding
• Discrimination against tenants
• Other breaches of tenancy rights

If your concern relates to property conditions, trading standards matters or property licensing requirements, the matter will usually be investigated through the Regulatory Services Partnership (RSP). Further information can be found below.

Not every report will result in formal enforcement action. We will consider the evidence available and determine the most appropriate response based on the circumstances of each case.

Help with homelessness or tenancy

If you are at risk of homelessness or you need help with a potential breach or offence under the act, complete the Early Help Team contact form. 

Property conditions, licensing and trading issues

Contact the Private Sector Housing team if your concern relates to:

• Damp, mould or poor housing conditions
• Property hazards and safety standards 
• Property licensing requirements
• Trading standards concerns involving landlords or letting agents

The team is responsible for investigating these matters and taking enforcement action where appropriate:

• Poor property conditions: Report disrepair or a problem in your property
• Trading standards: Complain about rogue agents or prohibited payments
• Property licensing: Let us know if you suspect that a property is operating without a licence 

Information for landlords 

The vast majority of landlords provide safe and well-managed homes. The act introduces important legal changes that all landlords and letting agents must understand and comply with.

Landlords should ensure that they:

• Understand the new tenancy system
• Use the correct legal grounds when seeking possession
• Comply with rent increase rules
• Do not engage in rental bidding
• Avoid discriminatory practices
• Provide tenants with the information required by law
• Keep up to date with government guidance as the act continues to be implemented

We have powers to investigate potential breaches and take enforcement action where necessary. Early compliance is the best way to avoid penalties and disputes.

Enforcement and penalties

We have a duty to investigate and enforce relevant landlord legislation. Where non-compliance is identified, we will consider the most appropriate action based on the evidence and circumstances of each case.

Enforcement action will include formal investigations, which may result in:

• Civil penalties for breaches of the law
• Rent Repayment Orders in appropriate cases
• Prosecution for the most serious offences
• Banning Orders that restrict individuals from acting as landlords or letting agents

Under the act, some breaches may result in financial penalties of up to £7,000. More serious or repeat offences may attract significantly higher penalties of up to £40,000, including prosecution.

Examples of conduct that may lead to enforcement action include:

• Unlawful eviction or harassment
• Rental bidding
• Discrimination against tenants or prospective tenants
• Failure to comply with tenancy requirements introduced by the act
• Serious housing standards or licensing breaches

Our approach is to work with landlords and agents to encourage compliance wherever possible. However, where there is evidence of serious, deliberate or repeated non-compliance, formal enforcement action will be taken.

Government guidance for landlords

For the latest information from the government, visit:

• Guide to the act 
• Implementation roadmap 
• Guidance on possession grounds 

More information

Whether you are a tenant or landlord, we encourage you to contact us as early as possible if you need advice or believe there may be a breach of the act.