The Renters' Rights Act Is Now in Force: What Landlords Actually Need to Do Differently
For years, the Renters' Rights Act was something landlords talked about in the future tense. Something coming. Something to worry about later. Later has arrived. The Act now frames every letting in England, and 2026 is the year its requirements stopped being theoretical. If you're still letting property the way you did in 2023, parts of what you're doing are now non-compliant — and the penalties for getting it wrong have real teeth. Here's what's actually changed, in plain English, and what to do about it. Section 21 is gone — and that changes how you think about tenants The headline change is the abolition of Section 21 "no-fault" evictions. You can no longer end a tenancy simply because you want the property back with no reason given. Possession now runs through strengthened Section 8 grounds — rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, selling the property, moving in yourself — each with its own notice periods and evidence requirements. What this m...