The Ultimate Renters’ Rights Act Compliance Checklist for 2026

Lucy Day

Senior Marketing & Communications Executive

21 April 2026

The countdown to 1 May 2026 is officially here. For letting agents across England, this transition represents the most significant overhaul of the private rented sector in decades. Because private renting now makes up 19% of all households, staying ahead of these changes is essential for your agency’s success.

To help you navigate this shift, we’ve synthesised the latest requirements into a practical Renters’ Rights Act compliance checklist. This guide ensures you and your landlords are ready for Phase 1 and beyond.

1. Reforming Tenancy Structures

Starting 1 May 2026, you must stop issuing new Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs). Instead, all new agreements must be Assured Periodic Tenancies (APTs) because the law has officially abolished fixed terms. On this date, all existing live ASTs will automatically convert to the APT format. Consequently, we highly recommend that you update your property management systems and templates now to reflect this change. Under this new regime, tenants gain the right to leave at any time by giving two months’ notice.

2. Possession and the End of Section 21

One of the most urgent items on your Renters’ Rights Act compliance checklist is the end of Section 21 notices. The last valid date to serve a “no-fault” notice is 30 April 2026. After this, landlords must provide a specific, legitimate reason for possession—such as rent arrears or a desire to sell—under a revised Section 8 process. Notably, if a landlord regains a property to sell (Ground 1A), they face a 16-month no-let restriction. If they move in themselves (Ground 1), the restriction lasts for 12 months.

3. Marketing, Advertising, and Fair Access

Transparency is now the law. Therefore, you must state a specific “proposed rent” on every property listing. Using price ranges or “offers invited” is no longer permitted. Furthermore, you must actively prohibit rental bidding by refusing to encourage or accept offers above the advertised rent. Your agency must also remove any “No DSS” or blanket income-based exclusions from listings. You must assess applicants individually on their affordability rather than their income source.

4. Rent Increases and Payment Rules

The Act introduces strict new controls on how you handle money. For instance, you are now prohibited from requesting or accepting more than one month’s rent in advance for new tenancies. Once a tenancy begins, you cannot request rent before its contractual due date. Regarding rent increases, contractual review clauses are now gone. You must follow the statutory Section 13 process, providing at least two months’ notice and limiting increases to once per year. While there is no “rent cap,” tenants can challenge increases at a tribunal if they exceed market rates.

5. Managing Pet Requests

The legal right for a tenant to request a pet is a core part of this framework. Landlords cannot unreasonably refuse, though they may deny a request if the property is too small. Crucially, the government removed the provision for mandatory pet insurance from the Act in July 2025. As a result, you should ensure you remove such requirements from your agreements immediately.

6. Mandatory Documentation and Compliance

Every letting agent’s Renters’ Rights Act compliance checklist must include the government’s “Tenant Information Sheet”. You must send this to all tenants on written tenancies by 31 May 2026. Providing a URL link is not valid; instead, you must deliver the document as a PDF attachment or a hard copy. Failure to comply can result in fines of up to £7,000.

7. Looking Toward Phases 2 and 3

As we move into late 2026, you should prepare your clients for the national Private Rented Sector Database and the mandatory Landlord Ombudsman scheme. Finally, longer-term planning for Phase 3 should focus on the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law. These will introduce mandatory timescales for addressing issues like damp and mould in private rentals.