31 October 2025

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025

Readers of our Real Estate Disputes Roundup will know we have been tracking the Renters’ Rights Bill as it progressed through Parliament. On 22 October 2025, the Bill was approved by the House of Commons and received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. The new Renters’ Rights Act 2025 is not in force straight away but will be “switched on” through enabling legislation at some point next year. This legislation will significantly reform the private rental market in England and have knock-on effects in private markets within Scotland and Wales.

Some of the major incoming changes include:

Assured Tenancies Become Periodic. All assured tenancies will convert to periodic tenancies.

End of “No Fault” Evictions. Section 21 of the Housing Act 1998 will be abolished. ‘No fault evictions’ will be replaced by a system where landlords must meet specific grounds to recover possession. Not all grounds are mandatory. For example, if a landlord wants to recover possession on grounds of “anti-social behaviour”, the Court has discretion as to whether it awards in favour of the landlord.

Rent Review Controls. Whilst the Act does not cap rental amounts, it creates a mechanism whereby rental increases are restricted to an annual basis (at most), and tenants can apply to the tribunal to challenge above-market rent increases. This would capture rental increases that are designed to force tenants out of their accommodation (thereby preventing backdoor evictions). If a rental increase is to be determined by the tribunal, the tribunal can set the rent at the open-market level, but not higher than the landlord’s proposed rental increase. Therefore, landlords will need to carefully consider how they pitch their rental increases.

Limits on Pre-Tenancy Payments. Demands for rent in advance of the start of a tenancy will be unlawful. Landlords will only be entitled to request up to one month’s advance initial rent at the start of the tenancy. It will be unlawful for landlords and/or letting agents to invite or encourage payment of unlawful pre-tenancy payments.

Marketing and Letting Standards. In respect of marketing a property, there will be obligations (amongst other things) to (i) state the rent in all marketing material, (ii) ensure that the landlord and property are registered on the newly created database, and (iii) not discriminate against tenants with children or who are claimants of benefits. It will be unlawful for landlords and/or letting agents to encourage bidding wars or to accept offers of rent higher than stated in the marketing material.