Renters’ Rights Act 2025

2025 c. 26 · Enacted 27 October 2025 · Extends to England and Wales

Contents

1. Part 1: Tenancy reform
2. Chapter 1: Assured tenancies
3. End of certain kinds of assured tenancy
4. 1Assured tenancies to be periodic with rent period not exceeding a month
5. 2Abolition of assured shorthold tenancies
6. Grounds for possession
7. 3Changes to grounds for possession
8. 4Possession for anti-social behaviour: relevant factors
9. 5Form of notice of proceedings for possession
10. Rent and other terms
11. 6Statutory procedure for increases of rent
12. 7Challenging amount or increase of rent
13. 8Prohibition of rent in advance after lease entered into (except initial rent)
14. 9Prohibition of rent in advance before lease entered into
15. 10Repayment of rent paid for days after end of tenancy
16. 11Right to request permission to keep a pet
17. Duties of landlords etc
18. 12Duty of landlord and contractor to give statement of terms etc
19. 13Other duties
20. 14Landlords acting through others
21. Landlords etc: financial penalties and offences
22. 15Landlords etc: financial penalties and offences
23. 16Financial penalties: procedure, appeals and enforcement
24. Landlords etc: supplementary
25. 17Duties of landlords etc, penalties and offences: interpretation
26. 18No criminal liability of the Crown under Part 1 of 1988 Act
27. 19Guarantor not liable for rent payable after tenant’s death
28. Other changes
29. 20Notices to quit by tenants under assured tenancies: timing
30. 21Notices to quit by tenants under assured tenancies: other
31. 22Limitation on obligation to pay removal expenses
32. 23Assured agricultural occupancies: grounds for possession
33. 24Assured agricultural occupancies: opting out etc
34. 25Accommodation for homeless people: duties of local authority
35. 26Tenancy deposit requirements
36. 27Tenant fees
37. Other amendments
38. 28Liability of tenants under assured tenancies for council tax
39. 29Other amendments
40. Powers of Secretary of State
41. 30Powers of Secretary of State in connection with Chapter 1
42. Chapter 2: Tenancies that cannot be assured tenancies
43. 31Long tenancies and financial services products
44. 32Accommodation for homeless people or students
45. Chapter 3: Discrimination in the rental market: England
46. Discrimination and discriminatory terms: children and benefits status
47. 33Discrimination relating to children
48. 34Discrimination relating to benefits status
49. 35Discriminatory terms in a tenancy relating to children or benefits status
50. 36Terms in superior leases relating to children or benefits status
51. 37Terms in mortgages relating to children or benefits status
52. 38Terms in insurance contracts relating to children or benefits status
53. Discrimination and discriminatory terms: power to protect others
54. 39Power of the Secretary of State to protect others
55. Discrimination: financial penalties
56. 40Financial penalties for breach of anti-discrimination provisions
57. Supplementary
58. 41No prohibition on taking income into account
59. 42Interpretation of Chapter 3
60. Chapter 4: Discrimination in the rental market: Wales
61. Prohibitions of discrimination
62. 43Discrimination relating to children or benefits status: Welsh language
63. 44Discrimination relating to children or benefits status: English language
64. 45Amendment of short title of Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019
65. Discriminatory terms
66. 46Amendments of Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 regarding discrimination
67. Supplementary
68. 47Power of Welsh Ministers to protect others
69. 48Power of Secretary of State to protect others
70. 49Regulations
71. Chapter 5: Discrimination in the rental market: Scotland
72. Discrimination and discriminatory terms: children and benefits status
73. 50Discrimination relating to children or benefits status
74. 51Terms in standard securities relating to children or benefits status
75. 52Terms in insurance contracts relating to children or benefits status
76. Discrimination and discriminatory terms: power to protect others
77. 53Power of Scottish Ministers to protect others
78. 54Power of Secretary of State to protect others
79. Supplementary
80. 55Interpretation of Chapter 5
81. Chapter 6: Stating the proposed rent and rental bidding
82. 56Requirement to state rent and to avoid rental bidding
83. 57Financial penalties
84. Chapter 7: Miscellaneous
85. 58Penalties for unlawful eviction or harassment of occupier
86. 59Abandoned premises under assured shorthold tenancies
87. 60Remedying of hazards occurring in dwelling-houses in England Not yet in force
88. 61Remedying of hazards occurring in accommodation in England occupied under licence Not yet in force
89. 62Student accommodation that is not an HMO
90. Part 2: Residential landlords
91. Chapter 1: Meaning of “residential landlord”
92. 63Meaning of “residential landlord”
93. Chapter 2: Landlord redress schemes
94. Landlord redress schemes
95. 64Landlord redress schemes
96. 65Approval and designation of landlord redress schemes
97. 66Financial penalties
98. 67Offences Not yet in force
99. 68Decision under a landlord redress scheme may be made enforceable as if it were a court order
100. 69Landlord redress schemes: no Crown status Not yet in force
101. Guidance Not yet in force
102. 70Guidance for scheme administrator and local housing authority Not yet in force
103. Interpretation Not yet in force
104. 71Interpretation of Chapter 2 Not yet in force
105. Related amendments
106. 72Housing activities under social rented sector scheme Not yet in force
107. 73Other amendments connected with landlord redress schemes Not yet in force
108. 74Local Commissioners’ investigation of complaints by persons who are not tenants
109. Chapter 3: The Private Rented Sector Database
110. The database and the database operator
111. 75The database Not yet in force
112. 76The database operator
113. Landlord and dwelling entries
114. 77Making entries in the database
115. 78Requirement to keep active entries up-to-date
116. 79Circumstances in which active entries become inactive and vice versa
117. 80Verification, correction and removal of entries
118. 81Fees for landlord and dwelling entries
119. Marketing, advertising and letting
120. 82Restrictions on marketing, advertising and letting dwellings
121. Entries relating to banning orders, offences, financial penalties, etc.
122. 83Entries relating to banning orders, offences, financial penalties, etc.
123. Further duties of database operator Not yet in force
124. 84Allocation of unique identifiers Not yet in force
125. 85Other duties Not yet in force
126. Access to and use of information in database
127. 86Access to the database
128. 87Disclosure by database operator etc
129. 88Use of information from the database Not yet in force
130. Removal of entries Not yet in force
131. 89Removal of entries from database Not yet in force
132. Enforcement
133. 90Restriction on gaining possession
134. 91Financial penalties
135. 92Offences Not yet in force
136. Final provisions
137. 93Power to direct database operator and local housing authorities Not yet in force
138. 94Entries under section 83: minor and consequential amendments Not yet in force
139. 95Different provision for different purposes: joint landlords
140. 96Interpretation of Chapter 3 Not yet in force
141. Chapter 4: Part 2: supplementary provision
142. 97Financial assistance by Secretary of State
143. 98Rent repayment orders for offences under the Housing Act 1988 and sections 67 and 92 of this Act
144. 99Interpretation of Part 2
145. Part 3: Decent homes standard
146. 100Decent homes standard
147. 101The standard of MOD accommodation
148. Part 4: Enforcement
149. Chapter 1: Sanctions
150. 102Financial penalties
151. 103Rent repayment orders: liability of landlords and superior landlords
152. 104Rent repayment orders: liability of directors etc
153. 105Unlicensed HMOs and houses: offences
154. 106Service of improvement notices on landlords and licensors
155. Chapter 2: Enforcement authorities
156. 107Enforcement by local housing authorities: general duty
157. 108Enforcement by local housing authorities: duty to notify
158. 109Enforcement by county councils: duty to notify
159. 110Duty to report
160. 111Lead enforcement authority
161. 112General duties and powers of lead enforcement authority Not yet in force
162. 113Enforcement by the lead enforcement authority Not yet in force
163. Chapter 3: Investigatory powers
164. Investigatory powers under this Act
165. 114Power of local housing authority to require information from relevant person
166. 115Power of local housing authority to require information from any person
167. 116Enforcement of power to require information from any person
168. 117Limitation on use of information provided under section 115
169. 118Business premises: entry without warrant
170. 119Duties where occupiers are on business premises entered without warrant
171. 120Business premises: warrant authorising entry
172. 121Business premises: entry under warrant
173. 122Power to require production of documents following entry
174. 123Power to seize documents following entry
175. 124Access to seized documents
176. 125Appeal against detention of documents
177. 126Suspected residential tenancy: entry without warrant
178. 127Duties where occupiers are on residential premises entered without warrant
179. 128Suspected residential tenancy: warrant authorising entry
180. 129Suspected residential tenancy: entry under warrant
181. 130Powers of accompanying persons
182. 131Offences
183. 132Investigatory powers: interpretation
184. Amendments
185. 133Additional powers of seizure under Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001
186. 134Use by local housing authority of certain information
187. 135Investigatory powers under the Housing Act 2004
188. 136Client money protection schemes: investigatory powers of local authorities
189. Part 5: General
190. 137Interpretation
191. 138Crown application
192. 139Application to Parliament
193. 140Regulations
194. 141Power of Welsh Ministers to make consequential provision
195. 142Power of Scottish Ministers to make consequential provision
196. 143Power of Secretary of State to make consequential provision
197. 144Extent
198. 145Commencement
199. 146Existing assured tenancies to continue as section 4A assured tenancies
200. 147Fixed term assured tenancy and statutory periodic tenancy to be treated as single assured tenancy
201. 148Transitional provision
202. 149Short title
203. Schedule 1: Changes to grounds for possession
204. 1Introductory
205. 2Amendments of Ground 1: occupation by landlord or family
206. 3New ground for sale of dwelling-house
207. 4New ground for possession after rent-to-buy agreement
208. 5Amendments of Ground 2: sale by mortgagee
209. 6New ground for possession when superior lease ends
210. 7New grounds for possession in cases where there is a superior lease
211. 8Repeal of Ground 3: holiday accommodation
212. 9Amendments of Ground 4: student accommodation
213. 10New ground for possession of student accommodation for occupation by students
214. 11Amendment of Ground 5: ministers of religion
215. 12New ground for possession for occupation by agricultural worker
216. 13New ground for possession for occupation by person who meets employment requirements
217. 14Ground 16 to be renumbered as Ground 5C and to be a mandatory ground for possession
218. 15New ground for possession for end of employment requirements
219. 16New ground for possession for occupation as supported accommodation
220. 17New grounds for possession of dwelling-house occupied as supported accommodation
221. 18New ground for possession for tenancy granted for homelessness duty
222. 19New ground for possession of stepping stone accommodation
223. 20Amendments of Ground 6: redevelopment
224. 21New ground for possession of alternative accommodation provided during redevelopment
225. 22New ground for possession to allow compliance with enforcement action
226. 23Amendments of Ground 7: death of tenant
227. 24Amendments of Ground 8: rent arrears
228. 25Power to amend Schedule 2 and new interpretation provisions
229. Schedule 2: Amendments relating to Chapter 1 of Part 1
230. 1Reserve and Auxiliary Forces (Protection of Civil Interests) Act 1951
231. 2Reserve and Auxiliary Forces (Protection of Civil Interests) Act 1951
232. 3Reserve and Auxiliary Forces (Protection of Civil Interests) Act 1951
233. 4Reserve and Auxiliary Forces (Protection of Civil Interests) Act 1951
234. 5Reserve and Auxiliary Forces (Protection of Civil Interests) Act 1951
235. 6Reserve and Auxiliary Forces (Protection of Civil Interests) Act 1951
236. 7Reserve and Auxiliary Forces (Protection of Civil Interests) Act 1951
237. 8Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973
238. 9Housing Act 1985
239. 10Housing Act 1985
240. 11Housing Act 1985
241. 12Housing Act 1985
242. 13Housing Act 1985
243. 14Housing Act 1985
244. 15Housing Act 1985
245. 16Housing Act 1985
246. 17Housing Act 1985
247. 18Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
248. 19Agricultural Holdings Act 1986
249. 20Housing Act 1988
250. 21Housing Act 1988
251. 22Housing Act 1988
252. 23Housing Act 1988
253. 24Housing Act 1988
254. 25Housing Act 1988
255. 26Housing Act 1988
256. 27Housing Act 1988
257. 28Housing Act 1988
258. 29Housing Act 1988
259. 30Housing Act 1988
260. 31Housing Act 1988
261. 32Housing Act 1988
262. 33Housing Act 1988
263. 34Housing Act 1988
264. 35Housing Act 1988
265. 36Housing Act 1988
266. 37Housing Act 1988
267. 38Local Government and Housing Act 1989
268. 39Local Government and Housing Act 1989
269. 40Local Government and Housing Act 1989
270. 41Housing Act 1996
271. 42Housing Act 1996
272. 43Housing Act 1996
273. 44Housing Act 1996
274. 45Housing Act 1996
275. 46Housing Act 1996
276. 47Housing Act 1996
277. 48Housing Act 1996
278. 49Housing Act 1996
279. 50Housing Act 1996
280. 51Housing Act 1996
281. 52Housing Act 1996
282. 53Housing Act 1996
283. 54Housing Act 1996
284. 55Housing Act 1996
285. 56Capital Allowances Act 2001
286. 57Police Reform Act 2002
287. 58Homelessness Act 2002
288. 59Finance Act 2003
289. 60Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003
290. 61Housing Act 2004
291. 62Housing Act 2004
292. 63Housing Act 2004
293. 64Housing Act 2004
294. 65Housing Act 2004
295. 66Housing Act 2004
296. 67Housing and Regeneration Act 2008
297. 68Housing and Regeneration Act 2008
298. 69Housing and Regeneration Act 2008
299. 70Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008
300. 71Charities Act 2011
301. 72Localism Act 2011
302. 73Deregulation Act 2015
303. 74Immigration Act 2016
304. 75Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (anaw 1)
305. 76Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
306. Schedule 3: Amendments connected with landlord redress schemes Not yet in force
307. 1Local Government Act 1974 Not yet in force
308. 2Local Government Act 1974 Not yet in force
309. 3Local Government Act 1974 Not yet in force
310. 4Local Government Act 1974 Not yet in force
311. 5Local Government Act 1974 Not yet in force
312. 6Housing Act 1996 Not yet in force
313. 7Government of Wales Act 1998 Not yet in force
314. 8Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005 Not yet in force
315. 9Localism Act 2011 Not yet in force
316. 10Building Safety Act 2022 Not yet in force
317. 11Building Safety Act 2022 Not yet in force
318. 12Building Safety Act 2022 Not yet in force
319. 13Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 Not yet in force
320. Schedule 4: Decent homes standard
321. Part 1: Amendments of Housing Act 2004
322. 1Paragraph 1
323. 2Paragraph 2
324. 3Paragraph 3 Not yet in force
325. 4Paragraph 4 Not yet in force
326. 5Paragraph 5 Not yet in force
327. 6Paragraph 6
328. 7Paragraph 7 Not yet in force
329. 8Paragraph 8 Not yet in force
330. 9Paragraph 9
331. 10Paragraph 10 Not yet in force
332. 11Paragraph 11 Not yet in force
333. 12Paragraph 12 Not yet in force
334. 13Paragraph 13 Not yet in force
335. 14Paragraph 14 Not yet in force
336. 15Paragraph 15 Not yet in force
337. 16Paragraph 16 Not yet in force
338. 17Paragraph 17 Not yet in force
339. 18Paragraph 18 Not yet in force
340. 19Paragraph 19 Not yet in force
341. 20Paragraph 20 Not yet in force
342. 21Paragraph 21 Not yet in force
343. 22Paragraph 22 Not yet in force
344. 23Paragraph 23 Not yet in force
345. 24Paragraph 24 Not yet in force
346. 25Paragraph 25 Not yet in force
347. 26Paragraph 26 Not yet in force
348. 27Paragraph 27 Not yet in force
349. 28Paragraph 28 Not yet in force
350. 29Paragraph 29 Not yet in force
351. 30Paragraph 30 Not yet in force
352. 31Paragraph 31 Not yet in force
353. 32Paragraph 32
354. 33Paragraph 33 Not yet in force
355. 34Paragraph 34
356. 35Paragraph 35 Not yet in force
357. 36Paragraph 36 Not yet in force
358. 37Paragraph 37 Not yet in force
359. Part 2: Amendments of other Acts
360. 38Land Compensation Act 1973 Not yet in force
361. 39Housing Act 1985 Not yet in force
362. 40Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 Not yet in force
363. 41Housing and Planning Act 2016 Not yet in force
364. 42Tenant Fees Act 2019
365. Schedule 5: Financial penalties
366. 1Notice of intent
367. 2Notice of intent
368. 3Notice of intent
369. 4Right to make representations
370. 5Final notice
371. 6Final notice
372. 7Final notice
373. 8Final notice
374. 9Withdrawal or amendment of notice
375. 10Appeals
376. 11Recovery of financial penalty
377. 12Proceeds of financial penalties
378. 13Proceeds of financial penalties
379. 14Proceeds of financial penalties
380. Schedule 6: Transitional provision
381. Part 1: Application of Chapter 1 of Part 1 to existing tenancies
382. 1Tenancies which become periodic on the commencement date
383. 2Section 1: start of deemed rent period for existing tenancies
384. 3Section 2: claim form for section 21 possession proceedings already requested
385. 4Section 2: claim form for section 21 possession proceedings not already requested
386. 5Section 3(2)(g): saving of section 7(7) in relation to tenancies where fixed term ends before commencement date
387. 6Section 6: no effect on rent increases before commencement date
388. 7Sections 12, 13 and 15: provision of information in writing
389. 8Section 15: no liability in respect of conduct before commencement date
390. 9Section 20: no effect on notice to quit given before commencement date
391. 10Section 24: existing opt-out notices for assured agricultural occupancies
392. 11Section 26: tenancy deposits
393. 12Section 27: tenant fees
394. 13Schedule 1: student accommodation ground
395. 14Schedule 1: stepping stone accommodation ground
396. 15Schedule 1: redevelopment ground
397. 16Claim form for section 8 possession proceedings already requested
398. 17Claim form for section 8 possession proceedings not already requested
399. 18Interpretation
400. Part 2: Existing instruments which permit or require letting etc
401. 19Key definitions
402. 20Saving for existing powers to vary
403. 21Relevant pre-application instruments that permit letting on tenancies that are no longer possible
404. 22Relevant pre-application instruments that permit letting on tenancies that continue to be possible
405. 23Relevant pre-application instruments that require letting on tenancies that are no longer possible
406. 24Relevant pre-application instruments that require letting on tenancies that continue to be possible
407. 25Pre-commencement s.106 obligations with provision relating to letting on terms that are no longer possible
408. 26Pre-commencement s.106 obligations with provision relating to letting on terms that continue to be possible
409. 27Requirements under the Community Infrastructure Regulations 2010
410. 28Leases which cannot be returned at end of term free of sub-lease
411. 29Application to agreements etc relating to leases, mortgage arrangements or contracts of insurance
412. 30Application to sub-letting
413. 31Application in certain circumstances
414. 32Power to disapply or modify this Part
415. 33Meaning of “permitting” letting
416. 34Interpretation