The Renters' Rights Bill:

The Renters' Rights Bill: 
Key changes, timelines, and actions for private-sector landlords in Hertfordshire
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This briefing is based on the Renters' Rights Bill overview and published timelines. Information is current as of the Bill's passage through Parliament. Always consult the final Act and official guidance for legal compliance.
At a Glance: What's Changing for Landlords
The Renters' Rights Bill represents the most significant reform to private-sector lettings in decades. Understanding these changes now will help you prepare your portfolio, update your processes, and maintain compliant tenancies throughout the transition period.
End of Section 21
No-fault evictions abolished. Possession moves to expanded Section 8 grounds only, requiring documented evidence and specific circumstances.
Periodic Tenancies
All assured shorthold tenancies become rolling contracts. Tenants may give two months' notice at any time. No more fixed terms.
Rent Review Restrictions
Increases only via Section 13 procedure, maximum once per year, with two months' notice. Tenants can challenge at tribunal.
Decent Homes Standard
Extended to all private rented properties. Includes serious hazards, repair obligations, modern facilities, and thermal comfort. Explicit duty regarding damp and mould.
Awaab's Law Response Times
Emergency hazards: 24 hours. Significant hazards: 10 days. Written reports required. Phased expansion to most Category 1 and 2 hazards.
Pet Requests
Landlords must consider requests individually. No blanket bans permitted. Reasonable refusal grounds must be evidenced. Pet insurance requirement removed.
Anti-Discrimination Measures
Strengthened protections for families with children and benefits recipients. "No DSS" policies and family-status discrimination explicitly prohibited in adverts and lettings decisions.
Bidding Wars Banned
Must advertise specific asking rent. Cannot accept offers above advertised price. Rent in advance beyond standard deposit rules banned through amendments.
New Regulatory Framework
Mandatory PRS Ombudsman membership. National landlord register (PRS Database) to follow, with public-facing elements and associated fees.
Timeline: When Changes Take Effect
The Renters' Rights Bill was introduced to Parliament on 11 September 2024. Throughout 2025, the Bill underwent scrutiny, amendments, and debate across both Houses. Royal Assent is expected in October 2025, with staged commencement beginning in early 2026.
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September 2024
Bill introduced to Parliament. First reading and initial debate on core provisions and scope.
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Throughout 2025
Committee stage amendments. Notable change: pet insurance mandate removed. Many proposed amendments considered and rejected.
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October 2025
Royal Assent expected. Final version of Act published with implementation timetable confirmed.
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Early 2026 Onwards
Staged commencement begins. Different provisions activated over transition period. Compliance deadlines vary by measure.
Commencement will be phased to allow landlords, agents, and tribunals time to adapt systems and processes. Monitor official guidance for specific go-live dates for each provision.
How Possession Will Work Without Section 21
The abolition of Section 21 "no-fault" evictions fundamentally changes how landlords regain possession. You will rely entirely on updated and expanded Section 8 grounds, each requiring specific circumstances and evidence. Understanding these grounds now is essential for managing tenancies effectively and protecting your investment.
Key Section 8 Grounds
Ground 1 (amended): Landlord or immediate family member intends to occupy the property. Available after 12 months of tenancy. Evidence of genuine intent required.
Ground 1A (new): Landlord intends to sell the property with vacant possession. Available after 12 months. Must provide evidence of marketing or sale agreement.
Ground 8 (amended): Serious rent arrears. Thresholds and evidence requirements strengthened. Pre-action protocol steps mandatory.
Student accommodation: Purpose-built student lettings with specific letting cycles. Documentation of student letting policy required.
Mortgagee possession: Lender requires possession to enforce mortgage. Lender involvement and correspondence required.
Action Required: Update your arrears management process to document every rent demand, communication, and payment. Create evidence logs for each notice. Review and update notice templates to reflect new grounds and procedures. Consider legal review of your possession process.
Periodic Tenancies Replace Fixed-Term Contracts
From the commencement date, all existing assured shorthold tenancies will automatically convert to periodic (rolling) tenancies. Any new lets created after commencement must start as periodic tenancies from the outset. This represents a fundamental shift in how tenancies are structured and managed in the private rented sector.
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Existing Fixed-Term ASTs
On go-live day, these automatically become periodic tenancies. The fixed term ends immediately by operation of law, regardless of expiry date.
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New Lettings
All future tenancies must be created as periodic from day one. No fixed-term option available under the new regime.
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Tenant Notice Period
Tenants may terminate with two months' written notice at any time. No minimum tenancy period applies to tenant termination rights.
What This Means for Landlords
The removal of fixed terms eliminates the security of knowing a tenant is committed for a set period. However, it also simplifies tenancy management—no more tracking end dates or negotiating renewals. The two-month tenant notice period is your planning window.
Transition Challenges
The switchover month will present edge cases: tenancies about to complete fixed terms, renewals in negotiation, and partial-month conversions. Prepare transition rules, onboarding scripts for new tenants, and clear communication materials for existing tenants explaining the change.
Review your tenancy agreement templates now. Remove all fixed-term language and include clear provisions for two-month tenant notice. Update your tenant onboarding materials to explain the periodic structure and notice requirements.
Rent Increases: Section 13 Procedure Only
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Single Route for Increases
Section 13 statutory procedure becomes the only lawful method to increase rent. All contractual rent review clauses cease to have effect.
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Frequency Restriction
Maximum one increase per 12-month period per tenancy. The clock starts from the last increase or tenancy start date, whichever is later.
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Notice Period
Must give tenant two months' written notice using prescribed Form 4. Notice must specify proposed new rent and effective date.
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Tribunal Challenge
Tenant may refer the notice to First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before effective date. Tribunal determines market rent based on evidence.
Action Required
Establish a central diary system tracking review dates for every property. Never miss the 12-month window or you'll wait another full year. Build renewal reviews into your quarterly property management cycle with adequate lead time for notice service.
Market Evidence Pack
Assemble comparables for each property: similar properties in the same postcode, recent lets, property features, and condition. Keep this evidence updated and FTT-ready. If challenged, you'll need to justify your proposed rent as within market range for comparable properties.
Decent Homes Standard Extended to the Private Rented Sector
The Decent Homes Standard, previously applicable only to social housing, now extends to all privately rented properties. This represents a significant uplift in minimum property standards, with the government signalling a compliance target of 2036 for full sector alignment. The standard addresses serious hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), repair obligations, provision of modern facilities, and thermal comfort requirements.
Serious Hazards (HHSRS)
Properties must be free from Category 1 hazards as defined under HHSRS. Common issues include excess cold, fall hazards, electrical safety, and fire risks. Councils will continue enforcement through improvement notices and prohibition orders.
Reasonable Repair
Properties must be in a reasonable state of repair. This goes beyond basic habitability to include structural elements, exterior weatherproofing, and internal fixtures. Age and character of the property inform the reasonable standard.
Modern Facilities
Reasonably modern kitchen and bathroom facilities required. Government guidance will clarify thresholds, but expect this to mean fitted kitchens less than 30 years old and bathrooms less than 40 years old, with working facilities throughout.
Thermal Comfort
Effective heating and insulation to provide thermal comfort. This aligns with existing EPC requirements but adds an explicit comfort element. Properties should achieve comfortable temperatures efficiently.
Damp and Mould
Explicit statutory duty to ensure properties are free from damp and mould. This policy signal indicates rigorous enforcement. Properties must address condensation, rising damp, penetrating damp, and mould growth promptly.
Action Required: Conduct a portfolio-wide survey against Decent Homes Standard criteria. Identify gaps property by property. Forecast capital expenditure required to meet the standard by 2036. Build a multi-year improvement plan. Establish a regular inspection cadence to maintain compliance once achieved.
Awaab's Law: Rapid Response Times for Hazards
Awaab's Law, named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died from prolonged exposure to mould, introduces strict response and repair deadlines for health hazards in rented homes. Initially focused on damp and mould, the law will expand in phases to cover most Category 1 and Category 2 hazards under HHSRS, excluding overcrowding.
Mandatory Deadlines
Emergency hazards: Investigate and commence repair within 24 hours of notification. Emergency includes immediate risk to health or safety, such as gas leaks, complete heating failure in winter, or severe water ingress.
Significant hazards: Investigate and complete repair within 10 days of notification. Significant hazards include damp, mould, structural defects, and other Category 1 HHSRS hazards not meeting emergency threshold.
Written report: Provide tenant with written report of findings and actions taken, with timescales for completion if work ongoing.
Audit trail: Maintain detailed records of all notifications, investigations, works orders, contractor attendance, and completion certificates.
Phased Expansion: Government will phase in coverage of additional hazards over the implementation period. Expect the list to expand to include electrical hazards, fire safety, excess cold, and fall risks. Each phase will be announced with lead time.
Tenant Notification
Tenant reports hazard by phone, email, or in writing. Record date, time, method, and description of issue immediately in your system.
Triage Assessment
Rapidly assess whether issue meets emergency (24h) or significant (10d) threshold. Document triage decision and reasoning. Communicate classification to tenant.
Contractor Dispatch
Instruct contractor within triage timeline. Confirm attendance and provide access details. Track job status in real time through to completion.
Written Report
Provide tenant with written confirmation of findings, actions taken, and completion date. Keep copy on file as compliance evidence.
Action Required: Establish a rapid triage workflow with out-of-hours cover for emergency notifications. Set up job-ticketing system that tracks receipt, dispatch, attendance, and completion against statutory deadlines. Create template written reports. Build audit trail processes for council inspections and potential enforcement.
Renting with Pets: New Request and Assessment Framework
The Bill introduces a statutory right for tenants to request permission to keep a pet. Landlords must consider each request individually and respond in writing. Blanket "no pets" policies are no longer lawful. The requirement for tenants to obtain pet insurance, originally in the Bill, was removed during parliamentary passage.
Request Process
Tenant makes written request specifying type, size, and number of pets. Landlord must acknowledge and respond in writing within reasonable time (guidance suggests 28 days).
Case-by-Case Assessment
Each request assessed on its merits considering property type, pet characteristics, and tenant circumstances. Cannot refuse based solely on species or blanket policy.
Refusal Grounds
May refuse only on reasonable, evidenced grounds. Must explain reason in writing and provide evidence supporting decision.
Reasonable Refusal Grounds
Superior lease prohibition: Headlease or freehold terms explicitly prohibit pets. Must provide copy of relevant clause to tenant.
Property unsuitability: Property design, size, or location makes it genuinely unsuitable for the specific pet requested. For example, large dog in small flat with no garden, or high-rise without lift access.
Health risks: Verified health condition of existing occupant that would be aggravated by pet. Requires medical evidence, not speculative concerns.
Building insurance: Insurer refuses cover if pets permitted, evidenced by written confirmation from insurer. Must show you've approached alternative insurers.
What You Cannot Do
Refuse because you "don't like pets" or based on assumptions about damage or nuisance. Refuse all dogs or all cats as a category. Require pet insurance (this provision was removed). Charge additional rent specifically for pets (though you may adjust rent at next Section 13 review based on market considerations).
Action Required
Publish a clear Pets Policy explaining your request process, evidence requirements, timescales, and grounds for refusal. Check all your properties' superior leases for pet restrictions. Update tenancy agreements to include pet request procedure and conditions if approved.
Anti-Discrimination, Advertising Rules, and New Regulatory Bodies
Family and Benefits Discrimination Prohibited
Strengthened protections for families with children and benefits recipients. "No DSS" policies explicitly unlawful. Cannot refuse tenancy application based on receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. Cannot refuse families with children unless property genuinely unsuitable (e.g., licensed HMO with age restrictions). Must update advert wording, enquiry scripts, and referencing criteria to remove discriminatory language and practices.
Bidding Wars and Rent Advertising
Ban on accepting offers above advertised rent. Must state specific asking rent in all marketing. Cannot invite "offers over" or encourage competitive bidding. Rent in advance beyond standard deposit and first month's rent banned through amendments. Update advert templates to show single asking figure. Revise offer letter processes to prevent accidental breaches. Train anyone handling enquiries on the prohibition.
Mandatory PRS Ombudsman
All landlords must join an approved Private Rented Sector Ombudsman scheme. Provides free, independent dispute resolution for tenants. Covers complaints about property condition, repairs, deposits, rent increases, and conduct. Civil penalties for non-membership. Keep records of all tenant communications and complaints. Respond to Ombudsman enquiries promptly with evidence.
PRS Database (Landlord Register)
National landlord register with public-facing element. Will include landlord details, property addresses, compliance status, and enforcement history. Registration fees expected. Scope and phasing to be confirmed in secondary legislation. Start consolidating compliance documentation: ownership proof, property addresses, EICRs, gas safety certificates, EPCs, legionella assessments, deposit protection, and licensing where applicable. You'll need these for registration.
Action Required: Review and update all marketing materials, tenancy application forms, and referencing processes to ensure compliance with anti-discrimination provisions. Create standard advert template with fixed asking rent. Publish Non-Discrimination Statement on website and in letting materials. Prepare compliance documentation folder for each property ready for Ombudsman membership and PRS Database registration when these go live.