Update on the Renters' Rights Bill
Update on the Renters’ Rights Bill
On 22 October 2025, the Renters’ Rights Bill (the “Bill”) was finally approved by the House of Commons. It is now expected to receive Royal Assent within the next two weeks and by early November at the latest. Despite its long journey through the Parliament, and numerous proposed amendments, the Bill is largely unchanged from the version introduced over a year ago.
Whilst Royal Assent is expected shortly, the Government has not yet provided any details over the timeline for implementation of the various provisions contained in the Bill. However, Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, has stated that the Government is planning for a smooth transition to the new tenancy system, aiming to support tenants, landlords, and agents in understanding the new rules and ensuring the sector has sufficient time to prepare for the changes.
It is expected that the new tenancy system for the private sector will be one of the first changes to be rolled out, which will include abolishing Section 21 Notices. The new provisions will apply to all new and existing tenancies, and landlords will not be able to serve Section 21 Notices on their assured shorthold tenants even if the tenancy agreement pre-dates the implementation of these new provisions.
The key provisions of the Bill include:
Abolition of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions.
All possession claims will be by way of a Section 8 Notice with new mandatory and discretionary grounds introduced. One of the new mandatory grounds allows landlords to regain possession if they intend to sell the property. In such cases, landlords must provide at least four months’ notice, and restrictions will apply to re-marketing the property for re-letting or licensing during that period.
A landlord cannot unreasonably deny a tenant’s request to keep a pet and must respond to any requests within 28 days.
Landlords and agents will be prevented from asking for more than one month’s rent in advance.
Banning “bidding wars” which aims to put a stop on landlords and estate agents encouraging potential tenants to bid over the asking rate.
Abolishing fixed term assured tenancies and assured shorthold tenancies and introducing a new tenancy system with no fixed terms.
Rent increases will by way of service of a notice under section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 as amended by the Bill, to market rent once a year only. The notice must be served at least 2 months before the rent is due to increase.
It is important for landlords to begin familiarising themselves with the upcoming sweeping changes and reviewing their tenancy agreements to ensure compliance with the new rules once implemented.
If you have any questions about the Bill, or how the upcoming changes may affect you, please do not hesitate to get in touch with either Meera Patel or Rhiannon Saunders in our Property Litigation team.
