The first major phase of the Renters’ Rights Act came into force in England on 1 May 2026. Several months later, these rules are no longer something for landlords to prepare for: they are now part of day-to-day property management.
For London landlords, the practical challenge is making sure older tenancy paperwork, rent-review procedures, advertising and possession processes have all caught up. A tenancy may be well managed in practice, but outdated documents or informal messages can still create unnecessary risk.
Here are seven checks landlords should make now.
1. Confirm the legal status of every tenancy
Existing assured shorthold tenancies generally changed into assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026. New tenancies are also assured periodic tenancies and run on a rolling basis, usually monthly, rather than having a fixed end date.
Landlords did not generally need to replace an existing written tenancy agreement. However, most landlords and agents were required to give every named tenant the official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. The Government warns that failure to provide it can lead to a financial penalty of up to £7,000.
If this was missed, it should not simply be ignored. Check the file, record what was sent and when, and obtain legal advice on the appropriate corrective action.
2. Update the onboarding process for new tenants
Tenancy templates and internal checklists should no longer describe a new letting as a fixed-term AST or include a contractual end date. New tenants must receive the required written information about the main terms of their assured periodic tenancy.
Landlords and agents must also avoid asking for, encouraging or accepting rent before the tenancy agreement has been signed. This makes the order of referencing, signing and collecting funds more important than before.
A clear, documented onboarding process helps protect both landlord and tenant and reduces the chance of a technical breach later.
3. Change the way rent increases are handled
Informal rent-review letters and contractual rent-review clauses should no longer be relied upon for a new increase.
A landlord must use Form 4A and follow the Section 13 process every time the rent is increased, even where the tenant has already agreed to the increase. At least two months’ notice is required, and the rent cannot normally be increased more than once in a 12-month period.
The proposed figure should reflect the open-market rent. A tenant can ask the First-tier Tribunal to decide the appropriate rent if they believe the increase is above market level. For this reason, landlords should retain comparable evidence and a written explanation of how the proposed rent was assessed.
4. Review property advertising and applicant screening
A rental property must be advertised at a clear asking rent. Landlords and agents cannot encourage rental bidding or accept an offer above the advertised amount.
Screening policies also need to be applied fairly. It is unlawful to make a prospective tenant less likely to secure a property because they receive benefits or have children. Referencing can still be carried out, but the same affordability and suitability criteria should be used consistently.
Portal descriptions, application forms and standard messages should all be reviewed so that old wording does not remain in circulation.
5. Put a proper pet-request procedure in place
Tenants and applicants now have the right to request permission to keep a pet. A landlord does not have to approve every request, but can only refuse where there is a valid reason.
The Government’s implementation roadmap says landlords initially have 28 days to consider a request. A sensible process should record the type of pet, the property’s suitability, any superior lease restrictions and the written reasons for the final decision.
A blanket “no pets under any circumstances” response is unlikely to be an adequate procedure.
6. Do not use old possession wording
Section 21 “no-fault” eviction is no longer available for ordinary private tenancies covered by the reforms. A landlord now needs a recognised ground for possession and must use the correct Section 8 notice and notice period.
Grounds remain available for matters including rent arrears, antisocial behaviour and property damage. Landlords may also regain possession in certain circumstances to sell or move into the property, although these grounds cannot generally be used during the first 12 months of a tenancy.
Possession paperwork should never be improvised. Informal messages telling a tenant to leave, an incorrect notice or reliance on an old template can undermine the case and may expose the landlord or agent to enforcement action.
7. Prepare for the next compliance stage
The Government plans to begin the regional rollout of the Private Rented Sector Database from late 2026. Registration will become mandatory for private landlords, with an annual fee to be confirmed. The database is expected to hold landlord and property details together with information about gas safety, electrical safety and Energy Performance Certificates.
The practical lesson is to organise records now. Each property file should contain its current certificates, licensing information, deposit documents, tenancy terms, rent history, inspection records and evidence of communications with tenants.
The current Government roadmap expects mandatory membership of the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman to follow in 2028, with landlords being given notice before sign-up becomes compulsory.
Compliance is now an active management responsibility
The reforms do not prevent responsible landlords from managing their properties, reviewing rents or recovering possession where there is a legitimate reason. They do, however, make correct paperwork, consistent procedures and reliable records increasingly important.
Enforcement can include civil penalties of up to £7,000 for specified breaches and up to £40,000 for certain serious or repeated offences. The maximum potential rent repayment order has also increased from one year to two years’ rent.
For landlords with several properties, relying on memory or old templates is no longer enough. A portfolio-wide compliance review is a sensible way to identify gaps before they become disputes.
Hampshire Heights provides professional lettings and property-management support across London. If you would like us to review your tenancy administration, manage your portfolio or help keep your property records up to date, contact our team on 020 3976 8331 or info@hheights.co.uk.
This article provides general information for landlords in England and is not a substitute for legal advice on an individual tenancy or possession case.
