Renters Rights Act May 2026: What Every Letting Agent Must Do Now

The Renters' Rights Act is 14 days away from its biggest changes — and letting agents face a separate set of obligations that most compliance guides have not covered. From 1 May 2026, Section 21 no-fault evictions are abolished. Every letting agent managing tenancies in England must have adapted their processes by that date. There is also a new legal requirement to serve an Information Sheet to every existing tenant, with fines of up to £7,000 for letting agents who fail to meet their new obligations under the Act.

This guide is written specifically for letting agents — not just landlords. Your legal duties, your liability, and what your clients will expect from you have all changed.

What the Renters' Rights Act Means for Letting Agents

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent in March 2025. The core provisions take effect in stages, with the most significant changes live from 1 May 2026. For letting agents, this is not just a landlord problem to relay to clients — there are direct obligations on agencies and serious consequences for non-compliance.

Here is a summary of what changes from 1 May:

• Section 21 "no-fault" evictions are abolished. No new Section 21 notices can be served after 1 May 2026 — including on existing tenancies. Agents who attempt to use Section 21 after this date on behalf of landlord clients will be giving unlawful advice.
• Fixed-term assured tenancies can no longer be created. All new tenancies from 1 May must be periodic (rolling month-by-month). Agents must update their tenancy agreements immediately.
• Written statements of terms are mandatory before any new tenancy begins.
• Rent increases are restricted to once per year, only via a valid Section 13 notice with two months' written notice. Any other rent increase mechanism is unenforceable.
• The Information Sheet must be served to all existing tenants by 31 May 2026.

Section 21 Is Abolished — What Letting Agents Must Do Now

Section 21 has been the default possession route for most letting agents for decades. That route closes on 1 May 2026 — and your agency's processes must reflect this from that date forward.

Update your template tenancy agreements

Any template agreements that reference fixed-term tenancies or Section 21 procedures must be revised before 1 May. Fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) can no longer be created. All new tenancies from 1 May are periodic by default. If your agency is still issuing 12-month fixed-term ASTs after that date, you are creating non-compliant tenancies.

Update your possession process guides

Every letting agent's staff handbook, possession process flowchart, and landlord-facing communications need updating. Section 8 is now the only route to possession. The grounds have been expanded and modified under the Act — agents must be familiar with the new grounds, notice periods, and procedure before advising landlord clients.

Advise landlords on existing Section 21 notices

Any Section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026 remains valid for six months from the date it was served. Agents should check which of their managed properties have outstanding Section 21 notices and whether landlord clients wish to proceed before the six-month window expires. After that window, even pre-May Section 21 notices cannot be relied upon.

The Information Sheet Requirement — Your Deadline Is 31 May 2026

This is the obligation that has received the least coverage but carries the most immediate practical weight for letting agents managing existing portfolios.

Under the Renters' Rights Act, landlords (and by extension agents acting on their behalf) must serve the government's official Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet to every existing tenant by 31 May 2026. This is a statutory requirement, not a best practice recommendation.

The Information Sheet explains to tenants:

• That their tenancy now operates under the new regime
• That Section 21 no longer exists
• What the new possession grounds are and how they work
• Their rights regarding rent increases and tenancy terms

Why the Information Sheet matters for agents

Failure to serve the Information Sheet does not carry a standalone fine in every case — but it creates a serious legal vulnerability. Any future possession claim could be challenged in the First-tier Tribunal on the basis that the tenant was not properly informed of the new legal regime. It also exposes agents to claims of professional negligence from landlord clients who face failed possession proceedings as a result of an agent's administrative failure.

For letting agents managing dozens or hundreds of tenancies, the volume of service is significant. You need a documented process to:

1. Identify every existing tenancy in your portfolio
2. Serve the Information Sheet to each tenant individually (by post, email, or hand delivery — retain proof of service)
3. Record the date and method of service for each tenancy
4. Complete this for every tenancy before 31 May 2026

The government's Information Sheet is available at gov.uk. It must be the official version — do not substitute your own summary document.

The £7,000 Fine: What Letting Agents Risk

The Renters' Rights Act introduces a civil penalties regime with significant consequences for non-compliant letting agents. Local housing authorities can impose financial penalties of up to £7,000 on letting agents who fail to comply with key obligations under the Act. These include:

• Continuing to market or let fixed-term tenancies after 1 May 2026
• Advising landlords to pursue possession via Section 21 after the abolition date
• Failing to meet required information and documentation obligations for new tenancies
• Breaching the new restrictions on rent increases

More serious breaches — including repeated or deliberate non-compliance — can attract fines of up to £40,000. These are civil penalties, not criminal prosecutions, but they are enforceable and can be imposed by local housing authorities without requiring a court hearing.

For agencies operating across multiple boroughs, the risk is compounded: different local authorities will enforce at different speeds, and early enforcement actions will be used to send a market-wide signal.

ComplianceAlert monitors the Renters' Rights Act implementation schedule and sends plain-English alerts when new requirements come into force. Letting agents use it to stay ahead of obligations without reading 200-page legislation. Start free at compliancealert.co.uk — no card needed →

New Section 8 Grounds — What Letting Agents Need to Know

With Section 21 abolished, Section 8 is the only route to possession. The grounds have been reformed and expanded under the Act. Letting agents advising landlord clients must understand the new landscape.

Key new mandatory grounds

• Ground 1A — Sale of property: Landlord wishes to sell the property. Requires four months' notice and cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy.
• Ground 1B — Landlord or family occupation: Landlord or close family member needs the property as their only or principal home. Same restrictions: four months' notice, not in first 12 months.
• Ground 6A — Redevelopment: Major works requiring vacant possession. Four months' notice required.

Existing rent arrears grounds are retained

Grounds 8, 10, and 11 (rent arrears) are retained. Ground 8 — mandatory possession for rent arrears of two months or more — remains, but with a modified threshold under the Act for some cases. Agents should confirm current thresholds with a qualified solicitor.

Notice periods have changed

The notice periods for many Section 8 grounds have changed significantly. The new mandatory grounds (1A, 1B, 6A) require four months' notice — double the previous two-month Section 21 notice period. Agents must not serve Section 8 notices on old notice-period assumptions.

What Letting Agents Must Do Before 1 May 2026

With the deadline 14 days away, here is a practical checklist for letting agents:

1. Audit your tenancy agreement templates. Remove any fixed-term AST templates. Replace with periodic tenancy agreements compliant with the new Act. Legal review recommended before 1 May.
2. Update your landlord communications. Every landlord client needs to understand that Section 21 is abolished and that possession now requires a Section 8 ground. Brief them before 1 May — not after.
3. Train your team. Everyone handling lettings enquiries, renewals, or possession queries must understand the new regime. Giving incorrect advice to a landlord client after 1 May is a professional liability.
4. Prepare the Information Sheet process. Download the government's official Information Sheet from gov.uk. Build a workflow for serving it to all existing tenants before 31 May. Assign a team member to manage this and record completion for each tenancy.
5. Check outstanding Section 21 notices. For any notices already served, confirm the six-month window and advise landlords accordingly. Log these separately — they need monitoring against expiry dates.
6. Review your rent review clauses. Any clause allowing mid-tenancy rent increases other than via Section 13 is now unenforceable. Flag this to landlord clients whose agreements contain these clauses.
7. Set up compliance monitoring. The Renters' Rights Act is being implemented in stages — more provisions may come into force later in 2026. You need a system to alert your agency when new obligations take effect, not discover them after the fact.

Frequently Asked Questions — Renters' Rights Act Letting Agents 2026

Can I still create a fixed-term tenancy after 1 May 2026?

No. Fixed-term assured tenancies cannot be created after 1 May 2026. All new tenancies must be periodic (rolling) from the outset.

What happens to fixed-term tenancies that started before 1 May?

Existing fixed-term tenancies convert to periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026. They cannot be renewed as fixed-term — any renewal after that date must be as a periodic tenancy.

Do I need to serve the Information Sheet to every tenant, or just new ones?

Every existing tenant must receive the Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. New tenancies started on or after 1 May must receive it as part of the pre-tenancy documentation process.

Can I still use Section 21 if I served the notice before 1 May?

Yes — but only if the notice is within its six-month validity window. Section 21 notices served before 1 May 2026 remain valid for six months from the date they were served. After that window expires, they cannot be relied upon.

What is the fine for letting agents who break the new rules?

Local housing authorities can impose civil penalties of up to £7,000 for most breaches. Repeat or serious breaches can attract fines up to £40,000.

Does the Act apply in Scotland and Wales?

No. The Renters' Rights Act applies to England only. Scotland and Wales have separate legislation governing tenancy law.

Key Dates Summary for Letting Agents

Date	Obligation
1 May 2026	Section 21 abolished. No new fixed-term ASTs. Periodic tenancies only. New possession process applies from this date.
31 May 2026	Information Sheet must be served to all existing tenants. Deadline for all managed tenancies in your portfolio.
Ongoing	Rent increases via Section 13 only. One per year maximum. Two months' written notice required.

What This Means for Your Agency's Competitive Position

Letting agents who adapt quickly to the Renters' Rights Act will gain a real competitive advantage. Landlords are nervous. Many are receiving conflicting information from peers, online forums, and panicked WhatsApp groups. An agency that can clearly explain the new rules, provide compliant documentation, and give landlords confidence that their portfolio is properly managed will retain clients and win new ones.

The agencies that will struggle are those treating this as a bureaucratic irritation rather than a material change to how the residential lettings market works. The Information Sheet is not optional. The Section 21 abolition is not delayed. The clock is running.

Stay Ahead of the Next Change

The Renters' Rights Act is being implemented in stages. The May 1 and May 31 deadlines are the first wave — further provisions are expected to come into force throughout 2026 and into 2027. The Renters' Ombudsman scheme is still being established. New landlord registration requirements are being phased in.

Letting agents cannot afford to check in on this once and consider the job done. The regulatory environment for residential lettings has fundamentally shifted and will continue to evolve.

ComplianceAlert monitors the Renters' Rights Act implementation schedule alongside 40+ other UK regulatory bodies and sends plain-English alerts when new obligations come into force. For letting agents managing multiple landlords and tenancies, it removes the risk of missing a deadline buried in secondary legislation.

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Sources: GOV.UK — Renters' Rights Act 2025 | Propertymark