The Renters Rights Act 2025 is the most significant change to private renting in England in a generation. It received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and will be implemented in a single stage, meaning all existing tenancies and any new ones will move to the new rules on the same date. This guide covers every aspect of the Act that affects self-managing landlords: the end of Section 21, how tenancies now work, the new possession grounds, what the landlord ombudsman means in practice, the new PRS database, and the other rules on rent, letting, and property standards.
What is the Renters Rights Act 2025 and when does it apply?
The Renters Rights Act 2025 applies to England. It completed its passage through Parliament on 22 October 2025 and received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. The government published an implementation roadmap on 13 November 2025. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK, November 2025)
The Act is being introduced in a single stage rather than in two stages as originally proposed under previous legislation. This means that on the implementation date, both existing tenancies and new ones will move to the new system simultaneously. Landlords will not need to reissue existing tenancy agreements, but will be required to give tenants a government-produced information sheet explaining how the changes affect their tenancy. New tenancy agreements created after the implementation date must include specific information set out in secondary legislation. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
The end of Section 21 and what replaces it
Under the old system, landlords could serve a Section 21 notice to end a tenancy without giving any reason, provided the correct procedure was followed. The Renters Rights Act abolishes Section 21 entirely. From the implementation date, there are no circumstances in which a Section 21 notice can be served. If you have already served one before the implementation date, the government has confirmed that valid notices served before the switchover will remain effective. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
What replaces Section 21 is a requirement to use one of the Section 8 grounds for possession whenever you want to end a tenancy. These are specific legal grounds set out in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988, as updated by the Renters Rights Act. There is a ground for most situations a landlord is likely to face, including selling the property, moving in, and rent arrears. The key difference is that you must now state a reason and be prepared to evidence it if the tenant does not leave voluntarily and the matter goes to court.
How periodic tenancies work under the new system
Fixed-term tenancies are abolished. All assured tenancies will be periodic from the implementation date. Existing fixed-term tenancies will be converted to periodic tenancies automatically on that date. A periodic tenancy runs on a rolling basis with no fixed end date. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
A tenant can end a periodic tenancy at any time by giving two months notice. A landlord cannot end a tenancy simply because a fixed term has expired. To end a tenancy, the landlord must use one of the Section 8 grounds, serve the correct notice, and if the tenant does not leave by the date specified, apply to court for a possession order.
What this means in practice is that the rhythm of letting has changed. You cannot plan to re-let or redevelop at the end of a fixed term without a legal ground for possession. If you want the property back, you need a reason that fits one of the grounds, and the right to use that ground must have arisen.
The possession grounds self-managing landlords need to know
The following are the grounds most relevant to a self-managing landlord with one or a small number of residential properties. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK, Table 1)
Ground 1: Landlord or family member wishes to move in. This is a mandatory ground. The landlord or a close family member intends to occupy the property as their only or principal home. You cannot use this ground in the first 12 months of a new tenancy. Notice required: 4 months.
Ground 1A: Sale of the property. The landlord wishes to sell. Cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy. After using this ground, you cannot re-let or market the property for 12 months. Notice required: 4 months.
Ground 8: Serious rent arrears. The tenant has at least 3 months rent outstanding both at the time notice is served and at the time of the court hearing. This is a mandatory ground, meaning the court must grant possession if the arrears threshold is met at both points. This replaces the previous 2 month threshold. Notice required: 4 weeks.
Ground 10 and Ground 11: Discretionary arrears grounds. These cover situations where rent is persistently late or where some arrears exist but below the Ground 8 threshold. These are discretionary, meaning a court can refuse possession even if the ground is met if it considers eviction unreasonable.
Ground 14: Antisocial behaviour. The tenant or someone living in or visiting the property is causing nuisance, annoyance, or has been convicted of a relevant offence. This is a discretionary ground in most cases. For severe criminal behaviour, Ground 7A applies and proceedings can begin immediately without a notice period.
Ground 7B: No right to rent. At least one tenant has no right to rent under immigration law and the Home Office has notified the landlord. Notice required: 2 weeks.
For mandatory grounds, the court must grant possession once the ground is proven. For discretionary grounds, the court can consider whether it is reasonable to evict even when the ground applies. If the tenant does not leave by the date in the notice, you must apply to court for a possession order. You cannot change the locks, cut off utilities, or remove belongings. Doing any of these is an illegal eviction. (Source: Private renting, GOV.UK)
What happens if you do not protect the deposit or register on the PRS database
Two compliance failures will block you from obtaining a possession order. If you have not properly protected the tenant's deposit in a government-approved scheme, or if you have not registered on the new Private Rented Sector Database, you will not be able to use most possession grounds. The court will not grant the order until you have rectified the non-compliance. The exception is Ground 7A for antisocial behaviour, which is not blocked by these failures. The government has confirmed landlords will always be able to put things right so they are not permanently blocked from recovering their property. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
The Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman
All private landlords in England with assured or regulated tenancies are legally required to join the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman Service. This applies even if you use a letting agent to manage the property. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
Tenants can use the service for free to complain about a landlord's actions or behaviour. The ombudsman can require landlords to apologise, provide information, take remedial action, or pay compensation. Decisions are binding.
Landlords who fail to join face civil penalties of up to £7,000 for an initial breach. Continued or repeated failure to join can result in penalties of up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution. Tenants can also seek rent repayment orders against landlords who persistently fail to join. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
The Private Rented Sector Database
The Act creates a new national database for the private rented sector. All landlords of assured and regulated tenancies must register themselves and their properties on it. Landlords who let or advertise a property without first registering face a civil penalty of up to £7,000. Repeated or serious breaches, including providing false information, can result in penalties of up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
Registration on the database is a condition of using most possession grounds. The database is intended to act as a single point of access for landlords to understand their legal obligations and demonstrate compliance, and for tenants to access information about the property and landlord before they sign a tenancy.
Rent increases, rental bidding, and rent in advance
Landlords can still increase rent to market rate. Tenants have the right to challenge excessive above-market rent increases at the First-tier Tribunal, which will assess whether the proposed rent exceeds the market rate for the property. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
Rental bidding is prohibited. Landlords and letting agents cannot invite or accept offers above the advertised asking rent. Civil penalties of up to £7,000 apply for breaches, with higher penalties for repeat offences. This means you must advertise at the actual rent you are willing to accept, and you cannot encourage prospective tenants to bid against each other. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
The Act also limits how much rent can be required in advance. Landlords cannot require a tenant to pay more than one month's rent in advance before or during a tenancy. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
Discrimination, pets, and property standards
Landlords cannot refuse to let to prospective tenants on the basis that they have children or receive benefits such as Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. Terms in mortgages or superior leases that previously required landlords to apply such restrictions are of no effect under the Act. Referencing checks based on affordability remain permitted. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
On pets, landlords cannot unreasonably withhold consent when a tenant requests to keep a pet. If you refuse, the tenant can challenge the decision through the PRS Ombudsman or the courts. You can require tenants to take out pet damage insurance as a condition of consent. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
A Decent Homes Standard will apply to the private rented sector for the first time. The specific requirements will be set out in secondary legislation. Landlords who fail to maintain their property to the standard face civil penalties of up to £7,000. Awaab's Law, which requires landlords to address hazards such as damp and mould within specified timeframes, will also be extended from social housing to the private rented sector, with timescales set out in regulations. (Source: Guide to the Renters Rights Act, GOV.UK)
What this means for landlords
Section 21 is gone. You can no longer end a tenancy without a legal reason. All tenancies are now periodic with no fixed end date, and your tenant can stay for as long as they choose provided they do not breach the tenancy or give two months notice to leave. To recover your property you must use a Section 8 ground, serve the correct notice, and be ready to evidence the ground in court if necessary.
You must join the PRS Landlord Ombudsman Service and register on the PRS Database. Failing to do either will block most of your possession routes. You must protect the deposit in an approved scheme. You cannot require more than one month's rent in advance, accept bids above the asking rent, or refuse tenants on the basis of children or benefits. You cannot use the move-in or selling grounds in the first 12 months of a tenancy, and after using them you cannot re-let for 12 months. Arrears for mandatory possession now require 3 months outstanding at both notice and hearing, up from 2 months.
The practical result is that self-managing landlords need to know their possession grounds, keep their compliance documents in order, and understand that the route back to the property now goes through the correct legal ground every time.
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.