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14/7/25 8:13 pm
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Landlords must wait another six-and-a-half months until the Government begins implementing the Renters’ Rights Act, it has been announced.
At the time of Royal Assent on October 27th the housing secretary Steve Reed (pictured) told Radio 4’s Today programme that a timetable for implementation would be revealed within two weeks, while housing minister Matthew Pennycook earlier this week told parliament it would ‘in the near future’.
But the May 1st date has now been revealed most likely to fend off criticism that the Government is dragging its feet.
It has been revealed that several key element of the Renters' Rights Bill will go live on May 1st including the ban on Section 21 notice evictions. Others include preventing landlords from:
Reed adds: “We’re calling time on no fault evictions and rogue landlords. Everyone should have peace of mind and the security of a roof over their head - the law we’ve just passed delivers that.
“We’re now on a countdown of just months to that law coming in – so good landlords can get ready and bad landlords should clean up their act.”
After the first phase of changes in May, the Renters’ Rights Act will come in two further stages, with phase 2 (starting late 2026) introducing the Private Landlord Ombudsman and the Private Rented Sector Database, which will be rolled out in two stages and the need for landlords to sign up will be staggered by areas across England from late 2026.
The Decent Homes Standard will be the last element of the Renters' Rights Act to be implemented.
Eddie Hooker, CEO of mydeposits, says: “After years of uncertainty surrounding the Renters’ Rights Act, having an implementation timeline in place gives the sector the clarity it needs to move forward.
"The shift to periodic assured tenancies represents one of the biggest structural changes in the private rented sector for a generation, and it will inevitably reshape how deposits are handled. With tenancies becoming open-ended, deposits will remain protected for longer, and landlords will need to stay on top of their obligations throughout the lifespan of the tenancy rather than relying on fixed-term renewal points to reset paperwork.
"Under open-ended periodic agreements, mid-tenancy changes, such as tenants moving in or out of a joint tenancy, are likely to become more common, and managing these variations will carry greater administrative importance, particularly around part-refunds, top-ups and keeping Prescribed Information up to date. Given how long the Bill has been on the agenda, and the extensive debates which have taken place, this timeline is likely the best outcome we could have reasonably expected.
"It is now essential that landlords and agents familiarise themselves with the Act and its implications. Ignorance of the new rules will be no defence if tenancy obligations are breached once the reforms take effect.
"mydeposits will continue working closely with government, landlords and agents as further guidance is issued to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible. With the right preparation and communication, the Act can help modernise the sector and reinforce the vital role deposit protection plays in ensuring fairness at both the start and end of every tenancy.”
Ben Beadle (pictured), Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, says: “The announcement of a commencement date for these important reforms is welcome. However, a deadline alone is not enough.
“We have argued consistently that landlords and property businesses need at least six months from the publication of regulations to ensure the sector is properly prepared for the biggest changes it has faced for over 40 years.
“Unless the Government urgently publishes all the guidance documents and written material needed to update tenancy agreements to reflect the changes to come, the plan will prove less a roadmap and more a path to inevitable failure.
“Without this, landlords, tenants, agents, councils and the courts will be left without the information required to adapt, creating utter confusion at the very moment clarity is most needed.
“Ministers also need to explain how the county court will be ready to process legitimate possession cases far more swiftly than at present. As the cross-party Justice Committee has rightly warned, the court is simply dysfunctional. Vague assurances about digitisation, without an idea of what that means in practice, are simply not good enough.”
Timothy Douglas (pictured), Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, says: “The UK Government’s announcement on timelines for the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 signals a landmark shift for the private rented sector in England.
"With increasing layers of regulation, it has never been more important for landlords to use a qualified, professional, and regulated letting agent to help navigate the complexity of compliance and ensure both landlords and tenants are properly protected.
"Professional agents play a vital role in supporting good practice, reducing risk, and maintaining standards across the sector.
"That makes it even more important that the UK Government proceeds with these reforms in a way that maintains landlord confidence, incentivises continued investment in private rental housing, and enables letting agents and landlords to deliver high-quality homes for tenants.”
David Smith (pictured), property litigation partner at London law firm Spector Constant & Williams says: “This will put agents under an immense amount of pressure to get everything done ready for the start date.
"As the government does not intend to give details of what needs to be in tenancy agreements until early in 2026 there will be very little time to prepare paperwork, train staff and update systems.”
"Landlords will also be prevented from increasing rents more than once per year and bidding wars among potential tenants will also be outlawed from 1 May next year. Other measures to come into force from 1 May include banning landlords from asking for more than one month’s rent as a deposit."
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