The new landlord rules under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 have changed how you manage a tenancy from the first day to the last. Since the main tenancy reforms came into effect on 1 May 2026, habits that worked under the old system may no longer meet the requirements of the current rules and could create compliance issues.
None of these mistakes necessarily come from bad intentions. They often come from outdated templates, old assumptions and processes that have not been reviewed since the rules changed. Catching problems now can help you keep your properties compliant, maintain good relationships with tenants and avoid disputes later on.
Related: Renters’ Rights Act 2025: when landlords need to sell or move back into their property
What the new landlord rules mean now
The main tenancy reforms under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 came into effect on 1 May 2026. Most existing assured shorthold tenancies automatically became assured periodic tenancies, while new assured tenancies are also periodic. Section 21 is no longer available as a possession route.
That means possession notices, rent increases, rent-in-advance requests and tenancy paperwork now need to follow the rules that apply under the new system.
Some of the changes are procedural, such as using the correct form or meeting a deadline. Others require landlords to change long-standing habits. Both can create problems if they are overlooked.
Serving an incorrect possession notice
Section 21 no longer exists as an eviction route. Since 1 May 2026, landlords must rely on a valid possession ground and follow the Section 8 process when seeking possession.
The possession notice must state the relevant ground and meet the requirements that apply to it. The notice period also depends on the ground being used.
For example:
Rent arrears
Ground 8 has a four-week notice period, subject to the applicable arrears threshold and other requirements.
Selling the property or moving into it
Grounds 1 and 1A generally require four months’ notice, and possession cannot normally be required during the first 12 months of a new tenancy.
Antisocial behaviour
Different grounds and notice requirements apply to antisocial behaviour, including grounds that can allow possession proceedings to begin without the usual notice period.
Getting the ground or notice period wrong can delay possession proceedings, so check the current requirements before serving any notice.
Mishandling rent in advance
The rules around rent in advance have changed. A landlord cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before the tenancy agreement has been signed by both parties.
What can be requested before the tenancy starts
For a tenant who pays rent monthly, the landlord can ask for the first month’s rent during the period between signing the tenancy agreement and the tenancy starting. For tenants who pay more frequently than monthly, the landlord can generally ask for up to the first 28 days’ rent during this pre-tenancy period.
Once the tenancy has started
Once the tenancy has started, rent is normally payable on the agreed rent due date. A landlord cannot require a tenant to pay earlier simply because the tenancy agreement says so, although a tenant can choose to make an early payment voluntarily.
These restrictions do not apply to tenancy agreements signed before 1 May 2026 or to rent payments made before that date.
Holding deposits and other reassurance
A holding deposit remains capped at one week’s rent. If you need additional reassurance about a tenant’s ability to pay, consider appropriate references, a guarantor or suitable rent guarantee insurance rather than relying on an excessive upfront payment.
Related: Rent in Advance: A Landlord’s Guide to Risk, Compliance and Best Practice
Getting the rent increase process wrong
The way landlords increase rent has changed. Rent review clauses cannot be used for new rent increases after 1 May 2026. Landlords must instead use the Section 13 process for rent increases under assured periodic tenancies.
The Section 13 process
Rent can generally only be increased once every 12 months, and landlords must give at least two months’ notice using the prescribed Form 4A. The proposed rent must not exceed the open-market rent.
If a tenant challenges the increase
If a tenant believes the proposed rent is above the market level, they can challenge it through the First-tier Tribunal. The Tribunal cannot set the rent higher than the amount proposed by the landlord.
Skipping the written statement of terms
Paperwork errors rarely feel urgent until a dispute forces you to produce the details of a tenancy.
New tenancies from 1 May 2026
For new tenancies created on or after 1 May 2026, landlords must provide tenants with specified written information about the key terms of the tenancy. This information must be provided before the landlord and tenant sign the tenancy agreement or otherwise agree the tenancy. Failure to provide the required information can result in a fine of up to £7,000.
Existing tenancies
The rules are different for existing written tenancies created before 1 May 2026. Landlords generally did not need to replace or rewrite an existing written tenancy agreement. Instead, they were required to give tenants the government-produced Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026.
Keep accurate records of the information provided to tenants and make sure your processes distinguish between existing and new tenancies.
Leaning on old paperwork and habits
Templates you have used for years may now work against you rather than for you.
Reviewing your tenancy templates
Since 1 May 2026, landlords should no longer rely on old tenancy templates that assume a fixed-term assured shorthold tenancy, Section 21 possession or rent review clauses that no longer operate under the new system. Existing written tenancy agreements created before 1 May did not generally need to be reissued simply because the law changed, but templates used for new tenancies need to reflect the current rules.
Building a compliance checklist
The same applies to your rent-increase process, possession notices, deposit protection paperwork and inventory checks. Build a short compliance checklist for every new tenancy so that old processes do not slip through unnoticed.
Turning tenants away for the wrong reasons
The new rules also affect how landlords and agents assess prospective tenants.
Discrimination based on benefits or children
Landlords and agents cannot discriminate against prospective tenants because they receive benefits or have children. Advertising and screening practices therefore need to avoid wording or criteria that exclude applicants on these grounds.
Phrases such as “no DSS” or “working professionals only” can create problems where they have the effect of excluding people because they receive benefits or have children.
Reviewing your advertising and screening
Review your advertising wording, screening criteria and standard rejection messages. Focus decisions on relevant factors such as affordability and references rather than blanket exclusions.
Related: Affordability Checks vs Discrimination: How Landlords Can Stay Compliant Without Taking On Extra Risk
Losing sight of your day-to-day responsibilities
Compliance is not something you finish at the start of a tenancy and then forget about until it ends.
Ongoing safety and deposit obligations
Your landlord responsibilities continue throughout the tenancy. You still need to keep the property safe, deal with repairs appropriately and protect the tenant’s deposit correctly.
Set reminders for gas safety checks, electrical inspections, deposit protection requirements and other recurring obligations. A missed deadline can become an expensive landlord mistake.
Handling damp and mould reports
Damp and mould reports also need to be taken seriously. Respond promptly, investigate appropriately and keep a clear record of what you did and when. Good records can be valuable if the issue is raised again or develops into a dispute.
Get ahead of the changes, not behind them
The main Renters’ Rights Act tenancy reforms are already in force, so this is no longer a case of preparing for a future change. Landlords now need to make sure their day-to-day processes reflect the rules that apply.
Read the relevant ground before serving a possession notice. Check the current rent-in-advance rules before requesting payment. Make sure tenants receive the information they are entitled to and review the templates and processes you use for every new tenancy.
A short audit now can save a longer, costlier argument later. Pull out every tenancy agreement, notice template, rent-increase process and advert you currently use, and check each one against the rules that now apply.
With expert support from Whitegates, you can review your current processes against the new landlord rules and identify areas that need attention before a dispute forces the issue onto your desk.
Get in touch with our lettings team to talk through your portfolio and make sure the tenancies you manage are being handled in line with the rules currently in force.
