On 1 May 2026 many of the substantive provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (RRA 2025) came into force, bringing with it the biggest shake-up of the private rented sector in a long time. This means the rights of both tenants and landlords have shifted and the way in which rural landlords can provide accommodation to employees has changed. This article provides a round-up of nine key issues.
1. Conversion to APTs
On 1 May 2026 existing fixed term Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) and periodic or statutory periodic ASTs (with a rent day of 1 May 2026) converted to Assured Periodic Tenancies (APTs). However, periodic or statutory periodic tenancies with a rent day not on 1 May 2026 convert on the day after the current rent period (which 1 May fell within) expires. This includes current monthly periodic tenancies as well as quarterly, half-yearly and yearly tenancies. This means that some ASTs may not have yet converted to APTs. For example, an AST which had a quarterly rent period running from 1 April, will convert on 2 July 2026.
2. Period of tenancy
Since 1 May 2026 the rent period and the period of the tenancy must be the same. Under the Housing Act 1988 (HA 1988), amended by the RRA 2025, the rent periods (and therefore the period of the tenancy) can only be a month, or a period of 28 days or less if desired. If an existing AST converts to an APT and the rent periods are not compliant, the rent period will be converted to monthly.
3. Rent
Landlords are now prohibited from demanding payment of rent before the rent period for which it is due. All rent periods must be the same length, and the rent should be due on the same day during each period. The exception to this is the first rent period which can be a different length, and due on a different day. The first rent period will be the period from the start of the tenancy up until the point at which the second (and regular) rent period will start.
4. Rent review
Since 1 May 2026, the statutory rent review procedure set out in the amended section 13 HA 1988 will be the only mechanism available for increasing rent under assured tenancies. It is not possible to contract out of this.
5. Information sheet and written statements
Landlords of partly or wholly written existing (i.e. those in existence before 1 May 2026) ASTs or assured tenancies should have served the information sheet by 31 May to their tenants.
Landlords of verbal existing ASTs or assured tenancies should have given tenants a written statement of terms by 31 May 2026.
For new assured tenancies granted after 1 May 2026 landlords must provide the contents of the written statement (along with notice of any advance notice grounds) to their tenants prior to signing a tenancy agreement.
6. Section 21 notices
Section 21 notices served before 1 May 2026 remain valid until the earlier of a) six months beginning with the date of the notice or b) 31 July 2026 (the applicable period). The tenancy will not become an APT until the section 21 notice is no longer valid. A notice will cease to be valid at the end of the applicable period or until possession proceedings are concluded if proceedings were started by the end of the applicable period (i.e. by 31 July 2026 at the latest). Since a tenancy remains an AST until it converts, it is only once it converts that the changes made by Part 1 Chapter 1 RRA 2025 apply.
7. Possession
Whilst the number of possession grounds has widened under the RRA 2025, there are stricter conditions, notice periods have increased and section 21 notices have been abolished. Landlords wishing to regain possession need to think carefully how to do this under the revised grounds.
To rely on ground 4A (properties rented to students for occupation by new students) landlords must have given advance warning before the tenancy is entered into that they seek to rely on this ground. For some other grounds “the advance notice grounds” prior notice is important to avoid a fine of £7,000.
8. Exemptions
A number of tenancies will not be caught by the RRA 2025, since it only affects assured tenancies under the HA 1988. Rural landlords should be aware of some exemptions to the HA 1988 set out in Schedule 1 which bring some tenancies outside the RRA 2025 such as tenancies of agricultural land exceeding two acres (where let with the dwelling house), agricultural holdings and FBTs, tenancies with high, low or minimal rent and certain fixed term tenancies.
9. Rural workers
Service occupancies will remain a useful mechanism to provide accommodation for rural workers, such as gamekeepers and housekeepers. They sit outside the RRA 2025 because they create a licence, not a tenancy. However, to be a service occupancy there must be a genuine need for the employee to live in a dwelling owned by the employer for the better performance of their duties. Service occupancies will never be suitable for agricultural workers because of the risk of creating an assured agricultural occupancy.
Takeaway
The changes brought by the RRA 2025 have been split into 3 phases. The issues in this article are covered by Phase 1. Phase 2 will introduce to the Private Rented Sector (PRS) the PRS Database and Landlord Ombudsman and Phase 3 will apply the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law to the PRS. We will keep alert for the developments of Phases 2 and 3, which are expected to begin later this year and in 2035 or 2037 respectively. For the time being, landlords should focus their efforts on the new assured periodic tenancy regime with its new rules and regulations giving tenants greater rights and more security.
For further information on many of these issues please see our RRA series here:
Part 1: Renters’ Rights Act 2025: navigating accommodation for rural workers
Part 2: Renters’ Rights Act 2025: which tenancies are not caught?
Part 3: Renters’ Rights Act 2025: practicalities for landlords of dealing with new and existing tenancies
Part 4: Renters’ Rights Act 2025: a focus on rent review and subtenancies
Part 5: Renters’ Rights Act 2025: a focus on possession grounds
