Historic reforms to England’s private rented sector will see ‘no-fault’ evictions outlawed from 1 May 2026.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords will no longer be able to serve a Section 21 notice simply to regain possession—meaning renters gain greater security.
Additional protections include a ban on in-year rent hikes, outlawing multiple months’ rent paid upfront, banning rental ‘bidding wars’ and discrimination against families receiving benefits.
While landlords retain legitimate grounds to recover property—such as anti-social behaviour or intended sale—the Government says this marks the biggest rental rights shift for a generation.
Councils will enforce the changes with brand-new powers and fines up to £40,000 for repeat offenders.
Chief Executive of Generation Rent, Ben Twomey said: ‘This new law is a vital step towards re-balancing power between renters and landlords and should be celebrated.’
