Today is 1 May 2026. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 has come into force. The private rented sector in England has changed, permanently, and every self-managing landlord needs to understand what that means for their properties — and their compliance obligations — from this moment forward.
It is also the day LLCR opens to landlords.
LLCR — the Landlord Compliance Register — is compliance specialist software for self-managing landlords in England. We are independent. We are not affiliated with any government body, industry organisation, or landlord association. Our only job is to help you stay legally compliant.
What has changed today
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. Today, its Phase 1 provisions take effect. The changes are significant.
Assured Shorthold Tenancies are abolished. All existing ASTs convert automatically to assured periodic tenancies on a rolling monthly basis. No action is required to trigger this — it happens by operation of law. New tenancies entered into from today must be periodic from the outset.
Section 21 no-fault evictions are gone. From today, landlords can no longer serve a Section 21 notice. Any Section 21 notice served before today remains valid, but the landlord must apply to court by the earlier of the six-month validity period or 31 July 2026 — whichever comes first. Miss that deadline and the notice lapses permanently.
All rent increases must now follow the Section 13 process. Contractual rent review clauses — including those tied to RPI or CPI — are void under Section 6 of the Act. The only lawful route to increase rent is now a Section 13 notice under the Housing Act 1988, as amended. LLCR's rent increase guide explains the current process in full.
Landlords must provide an information sheet to existing tenants. The government has published an official information sheet explaining the Act's changes to tenants. Landlords with existing tenancies are required to provide this to tenants by 31 May 2026. A civil penalty of up to £7,000 may apply if a landlord fails to do so.
Landlords are banned from evicting tenants in the first twelve months. Certain grounds for possession — including the landlord's intention to sell or move back in — cannot be used during the first year of a tenancy.
What is still coming
Phase 1 is not the whole picture. The Act is being implemented in stages.
The Private Rented Sector Database — which will require every landlord and property to be registered — is expected to begin its regional rollout in late 2026, with full mandatory registration likely following in 2027. Failure to register once the database is live will prevent landlords from serving a valid notice seeking possession. LLCR is building direct integration with the PRS Database ahead of its launch, so that landlords can manage their registration and keep their records current from within a single compliance platform, without navigating the database separately.
The Private Landlord Ombudsman is expected to follow in 2028. The Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector and the extension of Awaab's Law — requiring strict timescales for addressing damp and mould — are anticipated further down the line, with no fixed dates yet confirmed.
LLCR's legislation tracker will be updated as each phase is confirmed. As new obligations come into force, they will be reflected in your compliance dashboard automatically.
Why compliance is harder now
The old regime was imperfect — but it was familiar. Most landlords understood the broad shape of their obligations: protect the deposit, serve the prescribed information, issue the gas safety certificate, hand over the How to Rent guide.
The new regime is more complex. Notice periods are longer. Grounds for possession are more prescriptive. The information sheet obligation is new. The PRS Database is coming. Rent review clauses — clauses that have sat quietly in tenancy agreements for years — are now void and could expose landlords to tribunal challenges if relied upon.
The consequences of non-compliance have also increased. The Act raises penalties for unlawful eviction under Section 57. Local authorities gained new investigation and enforcement powers in December 2025.
Self-managing landlords — those without agents to absorb this complexity — are the most exposed. LLCR exists specifically for them.
What LLCR does
LLCR is compliance specialist software. It is not a legal advice service, a landlord association, or a government portal. It is an independent tool whose sole purpose is to keep you on the right side of your legal obligations.
The platform tracks your certificates, notices, and statutory deadlines across every property you manage. It surfaces what needs attention and when. It does not tell you what to think — it tells you what the law requires, and whether you are meeting it.
You can run a free compliance check today to see where your properties stand under the new rules. The check covers the core obligations — gas safety, electrical certificates, deposit protection, EPC ratings, and prescribed information — and takes under two minutes.
LLCR is available on a free trial now. No agent required, no paperwork, no guesswork.
Built for what is coming, not just what is here
The Renters' Rights Act is not a one-off event. It is a framework that will expand over the next two to three years as each phase comes into force. The PRS Database, the Ombudsman, the Decent Homes Standard — each will bring new registration requirements, new deadlines, and new penalties for non-compliance.
LLCR is being built with that trajectory in mind. Our roadmap tracks the Act's implementation phases directly. When a new obligation is confirmed, we build for it. When a government deadline is announced, it goes into your dashboard.
The PRS Database registration tracker, the information sheet deadline reminder, and the Section 13 notice builder are all live or in active development.
We are independent, we are specialist, and we are focused entirely on one thing: making sure self-managing landlords in England are in the strongest possible position to meet their legal and compliance duties — now, and as the law develops.
Check your compliance now →
LLCR — the Landlord Compliance Register — is independent compliance specialist software for self-managing landlords in England. Start your free trial today.
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Landlords should seek independent legal advice for their specific circumstances.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. LLCR is a compliance management platform, not a law firm. For advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified solicitor.