Your Rights Under the Renters’ Rights Act, Explained Simply

If you're renting in England, your tenancy changed on 1 May 2026 whether you noticed or not. Here's what actually changed, in plain terms, without the legal jargon most explainers bury it in.

You can no longer be evicted without a reason

Section 21 "no-fault" eviction is gone. Your landlord can no longer end your tenancy simply by giving notice — they now have to prove a specific legal reason to a court, such as rent arrears, wanting to sell, or moving in themselves. If you didn't do anything wrong, you generally can't be asked to leave on a whim.

Your tenancy is now rolling, not fixed-term

Fixed-term tenancies have been phased out. Your tenancy continues indefinitely until it's ended properly by either side, using the correct legal process — there's no more "your six months are up" as a reason on its own.

Rent increases are now limited and challengeable

Your landlord can only raise the rent once every 12 months, using a specific legal notice, with at least two months' warning. If you think the new rent is above what the property would actually achieve on the open market, you can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal for a £47 fee — and the tribunal can't set the rent any higher than what your landlord originally proposed.

What's coming, not live yet

• A national landlord database, rolling out gradually by area from late 2026, so you'll be able to check your landlord is properly registered.
• A Private Landlord Ombudsman, to resolve complaints without needing to go to court.

What hasn't changed

Your landlord still can't discriminate against you for having children or receiving benefits. Deposit protection rules are unchanged. And "rental bidding" — being pushed to offer more than the advertised rent — is now explicitly banned, not just discouraged.