Google searches for ‘Renters’ Rights Act 2026’ increased by 600% between 1st January and 1st May as landlords and tenants in England searched out information ahead of reforms.

New analysis of trends data by Coventry for intermediaries reveals that the sharpest rise of any term was for ‘renters rights information sheet’, up 2,250% from the preceding period, pointing to landlord concern about meeting the Act’s requirements by 31st May, when those with an assured or assured shorthold tenancy created before 1st May had to issue the sheet to tenants or risk a £7,000 fine.

Search interest in the term had also not yet peaked when data collection ended on 1st May, unlike every other term studied, says the lender, which suggests landlords were still seeking information as the deadline approached, and that guidance might not have reached them clearly, or in good time.

Suggests

Tenant-focused queries also rose significantly including searches for ‘what is a tenancy agreement’ which increased by 190%, while ‘assured tenancy’ rose by 110%. This suggests that the Act could have driven new people across audiences into housing conversations – either first-time renters or landlords brushing up on their knowledge, it adds.

Search interest in ‘limited company’ also rose by 70%, showing some landlords are considering taking a longer-term strategic response to regulation, including how they manage and professionalise their portfolios.

Jonathan Stinton, head of intermediary relationships (pictured left), says the scale of search activity shows just how many people turned to Google for answers on what the changes mean in practice.

Strong

“A strong private rental sector has to work for both sides,” he adds. “Tenants need confidence in their rights, and landlords need confidence to stay in the market and plan for the long term. The rise in ‘limited company’ searches suggests many are already weighing up how to restructure for it and make sure their property investments are economically viable.”

Coventry for intermediaries explains that search interest functions as a relative index (scored from 0 to 100) showing how popular a search term or topic is compared to all Google searches, rather than its absolute search volume. ‘Renters Rights Act 2026’ searches reached a peak search interest score of 100 – the highest level of relative popularity for the term during the period.

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