Renters Right Act

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 brings the biggest shake-up to private renting in England in almost 40 years

IMPORTANT Your rights will change on 1 May 2026 and may apply to a tenancy you entered into before 1 May

Among the most significant changes are that the Act will abolish 'no-fault' evictions, end fixed term tenancies and cap the amount of rent in advance you can be charged.

It introduces significant changes to the private-rented sector in England, directly impacting some existing tenancies in the current 2025/2026 academic year as well as future tenancies. Although the changes are mainly positive, they create a complex system  where your rights depend on what type of accommodation you live in.

Different rules depending on the type of accommodation

The changes will apply to most properties in the private rented sector, except where you share accommodation with your landlord. If renting a house or flat from a private landlord your rights will depend on which of these applies to you:

• Living in a house with 3 or more unrelated students (called an "HMO" - House in Multiple Occupancy). Details on the main changes for HMO tenants is here.
• Living in a smaller flat with 1-2 people (not an HMO). All the main HMO changes apply apart from the new mandatory possession ground Ground 4A which does not. Details on the main changes are here.

They will not apply to:

• Accommodation which is rented directly from the University, i.e. University Locks. This is because students living in halls usually have licence agreements.

There are transitional arrangements for:

• Private halls aka 'Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA)' covered by the ANUK/Unipol Code. There is more information on PBSA accommodation here including details of the transitional arrangments.

Further Information

It's important to note that the Renters' Rights Act is being phased in with many changes starting on 1 May 2026. For the most up-to-date information or if you have any questions it is best to contact the Advice Team.

The government have published a comprehensive Guide to the Renters' Rights Act.