The Renters (Reform) Act — What Actually Changed

A landlord's guide to the Renters (Reform) Act in force in 2026: periodic tenancies, Section 21 abolition, the new Ombudsman and the Property Portal.

The Renters (Reform) Act is the biggest change to the private rented sector in a generation. Below is what it actually does — not the newspaper version.

Assured shorthold tenancies are gone

Every new tenancy in England is a single, open-ended periodic tenancy from day one. Fixed terms of six or twelve months are no longer available in the assured framework. Tenants can end the tenancy with two months' notice at any point.

Section 21 is abolished for new tenancies

Landlords must use Section 8 with a specified ground. The Act adds and strengthens grounds so that legitimate reasons — sale of the property, landlord or close family moving in, sustained rent arrears — remain workable. Two important protections for tenants:

Sale and landlord move-in grounds cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy.
After using one of those grounds, the property cannot be re-let for three months.

Rent increases

One increase per year, in line with market rent, served on the prescribed form. Tenants can challenge at the First-tier Tribunal, which can only set the increase at, or below, the level proposed.

The Property Portal

A new government database of landlords and rental properties. Landlords must register every property with basic details and confirm annually. Enforcement includes financial penalties for non-registration.

The Ombudsman

Every private landlord in England must join the new PRS Ombudsman. Membership fees fund a free-to-tenant complaints process with binding decisions and awards up to £25,000. Serial breaches can trigger a ban.

Blanket bans

Landlords can no longer operate a blanket ban on tenants with children or on tenants in receipt of benefits. Individual affordability assessments remain lawful.

Pets

Tenants have a right to request a pet, and landlords may not unreasonably refuse. Landlords may require pet insurance as a condition of consent.

What this means for a portfolio

Turnover risk goes up: any tenant can leave on two months' notice. Void planning becomes more important. Rent should be reviewed annually — leaving it flat for years and then trying a big catch-up is now a losing tribunal case. Compliance evidence matters more than ever because Section 8 is a documented, evidential process.

How EstateVera helps

Every property in EstateVera is pre-registered against the Property Portal fields, compliance evidence is captured per tenancy, and the assistant drafts rent-increase notices on the current prescribed form. The rent review calendar sends a prompt 60 days before you can lawfully act.