Renters’ Rights Act 2025 becomes law

On 27 October 2025, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent and officially became law. It introduces major changes to renting in England, aiming to give tenants more security and better living conditions. The changes have not yet come into force, but we believe they will likely come into effect in the first half of 2026. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) have issued guidance which states: “We will work closely with all parts of the sector to ensure a smooth transition to the new system, and will provide sufficient notice ahead of implementation”. 

Key changes at a glance

• End of fixed-term tenancies
  "Periodic tenancies" will replace assured shorthold tenancies. There will be no express end date to these tenancies, with tenants being able to give notice at any time to end the tenancy.
• No more ‘no-fault’ evictions
  Currently, after the initial agreed fixed term of a tenancy has ended, a landlord can require a tenant to leave with two months’ notice. Instead, the Act establishes that landlords will only be able to regain possession of the property by relying on one of the statutory grounds for possession.
• Grounds for possession updated
  The grounds on which landlords can gain possession of their property have been updated. A new protected period will be introduced at the beginning of new tenancies, meaning a landlord cannot take back the property from a tenant for the first twelve months if the grounds for that eviction are to sell the property or that the landlord wants to live there. Once that twelve month period has ended, landlords must then give four months’ notice if they wish to gain possession based on these grounds.
• Better living standards
  The ‘Decent Homes Standard’ and ‘Awaab’s Law’ will apply to privately rented homes. Awaab’s Law require landlords to address hazards, like damp and mould, within a certain amount of time. In relation to possession in connection with non-payment of rent arrears, the tenant will need to be at least three months behind in payments.
  As the MHCLG have said, “the majority of landlords already provide decent housing and a good service for their tenants”. However, the changes to the rules will have an impact on all landlords and so it will be important for charities to consider how to deal with the changes. As an example, charities that provide “staff” accommodation may benefit from reviewing their arrangements with a view to considering how best to plan for future changes in staff, given the Act will enable less flexibility for landlords in the future. 

If you have any questions or require any more guidance on this topic, please get in touch with either Chris Sharpe or your usual Stone King contact.