Renters Rights Act
Guide to the Renters Rights Act 2025
Sale or reletting within 12 Months
Rent in Advance (Before Tenancy Agreement)
Rent in Advance (After Tenancy Agreement)
Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) refers to the legal protections for tenants who rent their homes in the private sector. This includes tenants who rent through a letting agent and directly from a private landlord. The new Rights are designed to ensure tenants are treated fairly, live in safe and suitable accommodation, and are protected from unlawful eviction, discrimination, and unsafe practices.
The Renters Rights Act 2025 will come into effect in three phases:
- phase one: 1 May 2026 – tenancy reforms come into force
- phase two: from late 2026 – introduction of the private rented sector database and Landlord Ombudsman
- phase three: date to be announced – Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard will be applied to the private rented sector
Horsham District Council can provide guidance, investigate certain complaints, and signpost residents to appropriate support services.
What’s changing from 1 May 2026?
End of Section 21 no fault evictions
General information & advice:
Section 21 notices will be abolished. This means:
- landlords can only evict tenants for specific, legally valid reasons known as ‘possession grounds’
- within the first 12 months, notice can only be given in limited cases, such as rent arrears or antisocial behaviour
- after 12 months, landlords seeking possession can only do so under defined grounds, such as selling or moving into the property, with at least 4 months’ notice
When to contact the Council:
- You have been locked out or threatened with eviction without notice
- Your landlord is harassing you to leave
- An eviction notice (sometimes called Section 21) notice appears invalid (e.g. incorrect notice period, deposit issues)
End of fixed-term tenancies
Fixed-term assured and assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) will be replaced by periodic assured tenancies (rolling tenancies).
- renters can remain in the property until they choose to leave or until the landlord serves a valid notice or obtains a court order
- tenants can end the tenancy at any time with 2 months’ notice
Sale or Reletting within 12-Month Restriction Period
Landlords will face restrictions on re-letting a property within a defined period after regaining possession under certain grounds.
When to contact the Council:
- You believe a landlord has evicted a tenant under false pretences
- The property is being re-let shortly after eviction in breach of rules
Discrimination
General information & advice:
It is unlawful for landlords or agents to discriminate against tenants based on protected characteristics (e.g. race, disability, gender, religion) or in some cases benefit status.
When to contact the Council:
- You have been refused a property unfairly
- You have experienced discriminatory treatment during a tenancy
Rental Bidding
General information & advice:
Rental bidding (asking tenants to offer above the advertised rent) is considered an unfair practice under new guidance and reforms.
When to contact the Council:
- You are being asked to bid above advertised rent
- Letting agents are encouraging competitive rent offers
Rent in Advance (Before Tenancy Agreement)
General information & advice:
Landlords may request rent in advance, but excessive upfront payments may be considered unfair or unlawful depending on circumstances.
When to contact the Council:
- You are being asked for unusually high upfront payments
- You feel pressured to pay before agreements are signed
Question: Is this Trading standards we may need link to their website
Rent in Advance (After Tenancy Agreement)
General information & advice:
Once a tenancy agreement is in place, requests for additional rent in advance should follow agreed terms.
When to contact the Council:
- Your landlord demands additional upfront rent unexpectedly
- Payments fall outside agreed tenancy terms
Rental Increases
General information & advice:
Rent increases must follow legal processes and, in most cases, require proper notice. Increases must be fair and in line with market rates.
When to contact the Council:
- You believe a rent increase is excessive or unlawful
- Proper notice has not been given
Rights to a Pet
General information & advice:
Under recent reforms, tenants may have increased rights to request permission for pets, and landlords must not unreasonably refuse.
When to contact the Council:
- A request for a pet has been unfairly refused
- Conditions imposed seem unreasonable
Rent Repayment Orders
General information & advice:
Tenants may be able to reclaim rent if a landlord has committed certain offences (e.g. illegal eviction, failure to licence a property).
When to contact the Council:
- You believe your landlord has committed a serious offence
- You want to explore reclaiming rent
Stronger local authority enforcement powers
Environmental Health teams have greater powers to investigate and enforce compliance with housing standards to ensure that tenants have a home which is safe, in good repair and has adequate amenities. From 1 May 2026 civil penalties of up to £40,000 will be introduced for breaches and offences of specific housing legislation.
When to contact the Council
- You have reported items of disrepair to your landlord and they have not undertaken necessary repairs and improvements in a timely fashion.
There will be other common tenancy issues that are not covered under the Renters Rights Act, these include:
Contact Us
If you need still require help or are unsure where to go, contact Horsham District Council's Environmental Health or Housing teams.
Phase two, what’s changing from late 2026?
Private rented sector database
Landlords will have to register their properties on a new national private rented sector database.
How to prepare:
Gather essential documents in advance including gas safety certificate, energy performance certificate (EPC) and electrical installation condition report (EICR)
A Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman
The ombudsman will handle disputes between landlords and tenants
- The development of the Ombudsman will happen in stages:
- Stage 1 will happen at least 12-18 months before implementation. The Secretary of State will choose a scheme administrator to run the new service, which will then need time to scale up.
- Stage 2 will require landlords to be members of the new service, expected to be in 2028. Landlords will be given sufficient notice in advance.
- The Ombudsman’s decisions will be legally binding
- All landlords must register with the scheme
How to prepare:
- Landlords should sign up for the Ombudsman Scheme as soon as it’s available - it will be mandatory
- Keep detailed records of maintenance requests and tenant interactions to help resolve disputes
- Focus on clear communication with tenants to prevent conflicts before they escalate
- Ensure you keep up to date on the latest developments by registering with your Local Authority’s mailing list, accreditation or keep updated via the DASH Services website
Phase three, timescale to be confirmed
Meeting the decent homes standard
The Decent Homes Standard will be extended to the private rental sector. This means properties must be:
- safe and well-maintained
- free from serious hazards such as damp, faulty wiring, or poor insulation
- fit for human habitation
- compliant with Awaab’s Law, which requires landlords to address damp and mould issues within set timescales. Read more about Awaab’s Law on GOV.UK.
How to prepare for phase 3
- carry out a full property inspection, either personally or with a qualified professional, to identify and resolve potential hazards
- budget for necessary repairs and improvements, as non-compliance could result in significant fines
- respond promptly to tenant repair requests, ensuring you meet the new legal timeframes