MHHG estate agents

If you are a landlord in England, the most important thing to understand about the Renters’ Rights Act is this: you do not need to reissue all existing tenancy agreements on 1 May 2026, but you may still need to serve new documents.

That distinction matters.

A lot of landlords are focusing on the end of Section 21 or the move away from fixed-term ASTs, but from a practical compliance point of view, one of the most urgent issues is paperwork: who must receive what, and by when.

This guide breaks the new rules down in the way most landlords actually need them: by deadlines, tenancy type, possession route, and compliance risk.

The two dates landlords should remember first

Before looking at the detailed reforms, landlords should focus on two key dates.

1 May 2026 is the main commencement date for the new tenancy regime. From that date, the private rented sector in England moves into the next phase of the Renters’ Rights Act framework.

31 May 2026 is the key notice deadline for many existing tenancies. By then, certain landlords must have served the correct written information on tenants.

There is also another important transitional deadline: 31 July 2026. This is the last date by which court proceedings must begin if a landlord wants to rely on a valid Section 21 notice that was served before 1 May 2026.

For landlords managing multiple properties, these dates should be diarised now.

What actually changes on 1 May 2026?

From 1 May 2026, the new tenancy regime is expected to apply to both new and existing private residential tenancies in England.

In practice, this means several major things happen at once:

the old assured shorthold tenancy (AST) framework is replaced by a new assured periodic tenancy (APT) approach

Section 21 no-fault evictions fall away

landlords must use the revised Section 8 possession grounds

other rules relating to rent increases, rent in advance, rental bidding, pets and discrimination also begin to take effect

Not every part of the overall reform package starts at the same time. For example, the landlord database and ombudsman are expected later, likely later in 2026 rather than on 1 May itself.

Do landlords need to replace existing tenancy agreements?

In most cases, no.

That is one of the biggest misconceptions around the new rules. Where there is already a written tenancy agreement in place, landlords are not generally required to tear it up, rewrite it, or ask the tenant to sign a brand-new contract simply because the Act is coming into force.

Instead, the tenancy continues, but it operates inside the new legal framework. Existing contractual terms can still stand unless they conflict with the new legislation. If a term is inconsistent with the new rules, that part will no longer operate as intended.

So the issue is usually not re-documenting the tenancy from scratch. The issue is whether the landlord serves the correct notices and information.

The most overlooked rule: existing tenants may need an information sheet

For many landlords, the biggest immediate compliance issue is the mandatory government information sheet for existing tenants.

Where there is an existing written AST in place on 1 May 2026, the landlord does not need to issue a new tenancy agreement, but they do need to provide the tenant with the government’s information sheet explaining the main rules under the new Act.

This document is expected to function in a similar way to the existing How to Rent material, but for the Renters’ Rights Act regime.

The final version had not yet been published in the material you shared, but it is expected to be issued in March 2026, and landlords must then serve it by 31 May 2026.

That means landlords should not wait until late May to start preparing. They should already be identifying:

• which tenancies are still ASTs on 1 May 2026
• whether they hold valid tenant email and postal details
• how service of the document will be evidenced

This notice requirement is mandatory, and failure to comply could lead to a civil penalty of up to £7,000.

Written tenancy? Oral tenancy? The landlord’s obligation is not the same

A lot of summaries blur these together, but the rules differ depending on whether the tenancy is written or verbal.

If the tenancy is already in writing

The landlord generally does not need to issue a brand-new contract. But they must give the tenant the government information sheet explaining the new Act.

If the tenancy is oral only

The landlord must provide a written statement of the tenancy terms by 31 May 2026.

That written summary must include core tenancy information, including:

• landlord and tenant names and addresses
• property address
• tenancy start date
• amount of rent
• payment dates
• bank details for payment
• deposit details
• responsibilities relating to repairs and utilities
• notice arrangements for ending the tenancy

So while written tenancies mainly trigger the information sheet obligation, verbal tenancies trigger a written statement of terms requirement.

These are not the same document.

The two documents landlords should not confuse

One of the easiest ways to make a mistake under the new system is to mix up the two notice types.

1. The information sheet

This is the document for existing tenants. It explains the new rules under the Renters’ Rights Act and must be served for relevant existing tenancies on or after 1 May 2026.

2. The written statement of terms

This is more tenancy-specific and is relevant where the landlord needs to provide written details of the tenancy itself, particularly for oral tenancies, and also in the context of new tenancies created on or after 1 May 2026.

So a landlord should not assume that giving one of these documents automatically satisfies the other requirement.

Section 21 is going — but some older notices may still survive

From 1 May 2026, landlords can no longer use Section 21 as the normal route to recover possession going forward.

However, there is an important transitional window.

If the landlord served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, that notice can still potentially be relied on, but only if the landlord starts court proceedings before 31 July 2026.

After that, Section 21 effectively falls away as a usable route, and possession claims will need to be based on the updated Section 8 grounds.

This means landlords who have already served Section 21 notices should urgently check whether they are still within the court deadline. Waiting too long could mean losing that route entirely.

What happens instead of Section 21?

Once the new regime is in force, landlords will have to use the revised Section 8 possession framework.

That does not mean possession becomes impossible. It means it must be based on a recognised statutory ground.

Some of the most commercially important grounds include:

• rent arrears or other tenant default grounds
• landlord selling the property
• landlord or family moving in
• student possession in the HMO context under the new Ground 4A

Each of these comes with its own conditions, notice lengths and restrictions.

Selling or moving in: stricter rules than many landlords expect

Where a landlord wants possession because they intend to sell the property or move into it, the new regime imposes tighter safeguards.

Under the revised Section 8 structure, the relevant grounds require four months’ notice.

They also cannot be used in the first 12 months of the tenancy. In other words, the notice cannot expire within the first 12 months.

There is also a serious anti-abuse rule: the property cannot simply be recovered and then quietly re-let straight away. The material you shared states that the property cannot be re-marketed or re-let for 12 months after possession under these grounds.

Given the risk of penalties for misuse, landlords should preserve evidence of their genuine sale intention or intention to occupy.

If the tenant does not leave after the notice period, the landlord must still apply to court for a possession order and, if needed, proceed through bailiff enforcement.

Student landlords have a separate problem: Ground 4A

Landlords of student HMOs need to pay special attention to the new Ground 4A.

This ground is designed to allow recovery of possession at the end of the academic year so the property can be re-let to a new student cohort.

But it is not automatic. The landlord must satisfy specific conditions, including that:

• the property is an HMO
• it is occupied only by full-time students
• the tenants were told in writing before the tenancy began that Ground 4A might be used
• the landlord gives the required written notice

The standard notice period is four months, although the material notes that some 2026 cases may temporarily operate on a two-month basis.

There is also a timing restriction: the notice must expire between 1 June and 30 September, reflecting the academic cycle.

For existing student landlords, there is an additional action point: if they intend to rely on Ground 4A, current tenants must receive written notice by 31 May 2026.

Rent increases: no more informal shortcuts

Another major practical reform is rent review procedure.

Under the new regime, landlords must use the statutory Section 13 process, with Form 4, and give the tenant at least two months’ notice.

There are also substantive restrictions:

• rent can only be increased once every 52 weeks
• the increase must align with market rent
• contractual rent increase mechanisms and break-clause style alternatives are not permitted routes under the new framework

This means landlords and agents will need to be much more disciplined in how they document rent changes.

Tenants get a more flexible exit route

Under the new periodic system, tenants can leave more flexibly than under traditional fixed-term structures.

A tenant may give at least two months’ written notice at any time, including from the start of the tenancy, but the notice must expire on the last day of a tenancy period. In practice, that can sometimes make the actual notice slightly longer than a flat two months.

The material you quoted also makes clear that written notice is broad in form. It can be given by:
email
text
letter

Landlords should therefore make sure their record keeping captures these formats properly.

The Renters’ Rights Act is not only about notices

Although landlords are understandably focused on tenancy paperwork and possession, the reform package goes wider than that.

The Act also includes measures dealing with:

• annual rent increase limits
• bans on rental bidding wars
• pets
• rent in advance
• discrimination
• a new ombudsman
• a new landlord database

Not all of these will necessarily commence on the same day, but together they signal a broader shift toward a more regulated PRS environment.

There is also an enforcement angle that landlords should not ignore: since 27 December 2025, local authorities have had stronger investigatory powers, including the power in some circumstances to investigate without prior notice, inspect premises, require documents, and access certain third-party data.

That matters because compliance failures are increasingly likely to be discoverable.

Landlord checklist: what to do now

The best way to manage the transition is to treat it as a compliance project, not just a legal update.
Landlords should now be asking:

• Which of my tenancies will still be in place on 1 May 2026?
• Which are written ASTs?
• Are any of them oral tenancies?
• Do I have a process to serve the information sheet by 31 May 2026?
• Do I need to issue a written statement of terms for any verbal tenancy?
• Have I already served any Section 21 notices that require court action before 31 July 2026?
• Do any student HMOs require a Ground 4A notice plan?
• Are my future rent increases set up for Section 13 / Form 4 compliance?
• Those are the questions that turn the legislation into an actual action plan.

How MHHG Estate Agents can help
At MHHG Estate Agents, we help landlords manage not only lettings, but also the practical compliance side of changing regulation.

• That includes helping landlords prepare for:
• the shift from ASTs to the new periodic tenancy regime
• mandatory information sheet service
• written statement requirements for oral tenancies
• rent increase procedure updates
• possession planning under the revised Section 8 system
• student HMO notice issues

If you are unsure how the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 affects your existing tenancies, notice obligations or possession strategy, our team can help you review your position and prepare properly.

FAQ: quick answers for landlords

Do I need to issue all tenants with new tenancy agreements on 1 May 2026?
Usually no. Existing written agreements generally remain in place unless a term conflicts with the new law.

What do I have to give existing tenants instead?
For relevant existing written tenancies, you must give the government information sheet explaining the new rules.

When must that be done?
By 31 May 2026.

What if the tenancy is verbal only?
Then the landlord must provide a written statement of terms by 31 May 2026.

Can I still use Section 21 after 1 May 2026?
Not as a new route. But if you served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, you may still proceed if court proceedings start before 31 July 2026.

How do I increase rent after the reforms?
Through the statutory Section 13 process using Form 4, with at least two months’ notice, and generally only once every 52 weeks.