Renters’ Rights Act 2025: What is the Government’s roadmap for implementation?

Those of you who have been following our Essential Residential Hub will know that we have been monitoring the evolution of the private rented sector (“PRS”) since the then Government first announced plans to abolish Assured Shorthold Tenancies (“ASTs”) and Section 21 Notices back in 2019. Six years later on 27 October 2025, the Renters’ Rights Act received Royal Assent. On 14 November 2025, the Government issued a press release confirming that it will be switching on those provisions of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (“Act”) on 1 May 2026. It has also published a roadmap for implementation of the Act so that landlords and stakeholders in the PRS can prepare for the changes.

The Government’s plan is to implement the Act in stages as follows:

• Phase 1 (1 May 2026): Abolish ASTs and Section 21 Notices and create assured monthly periodic tenancies in the PRS; 
• Phase 2 (Late 2026): Implement provisions relating to the creation of a PRS Database and establish a Landlord Ombudsman for the PRS; and
• Phase 3 (2035 or 2037) : Introduce Decent Homes Standard to the PRS.

Phase 1 will see the majority of changes relating to the creation of assured monthly periodic tenancies. From 1 May 2026, landlords will need to prove a statutory ground in order to obtain a possession order.  Notice periods will be altered and there will be additional restrictions placed on landlords preventing rental bidding, banning discrimination against renters who have children or receive benefits and prohibiting more than one month’s rent being paid in advance. Landlords will be required to comply with additional duties and local authorities will have powers to impose fines for non-compliance. Tenants will have the right to request the landlord’s consent to keep a pet, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld. The secondary commencement legislation has not yet been published and will need to be considered carefully as it is likely to contain further details of new prescribed forms for a notice of increase of rent, the information sheet which landlords will need to provide to tenants upon conversion of their tenancy from an AST to an assured monthly periodic tenancy and other important matters.

Phase 2 will introduce the PRS Database and PRS Landlord Ombudsman. Much of the detail behind these elements will be contained within the secondary legislation which will need to be published in advance of Phase 2, particularly around what information landlords must provide in order to obtain an active listing on the Database. Whilst development of the Ombudsman will commence in late 2026, it is not expected that the service will be open for business until 2028.

Phase 3 involves the extension of the Decent Homes Standard to the PRS. For more on the Decent Homes Standard, please see our Quick Read: Government launches consultation on extending Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector. This is likely to occur in 2035 or 2037.

There is quite a lot more detail to come from the Government in the secondary legislation which will implement Phase 1, However, the PRS now has 6 months’ to prepare. For existing tenancies, landlords can continue to serve Section 21 Notices up to 30 April 2026. Under transitional provisions in the Act, a landlord will be able to issue possession proceedings relying on a Section 21 Notice provided that those proceedings are issued within the validity period of the Section 21 Notice (i.e. within 6 months of the service of the Section 21 Notice) or by 31 July 2026 if that date ends before the 6 month validity period of the Section 21 Notice.

We will continue to track implementation of the Act on our Essential Residential Hub and timeline; Evolution of the Private Rented Sector. If you have any queries, please contact Lauren Fraser, Laura Bushaway or your usual Charles Russell Speechlys LLP contact.