Renters' Rights Bill Landlord Guide | Section 21 London 2026

The Renters' Rights Bill is the Government's flagship reform of the private rented sector, and London landlords should prepare for it now even though parts are still progressing through Parliament. As proposed, it would abolish Section 21 no-fault evictions, convert tenancies to a single periodic system, extend the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law to private lets, create a landlord ombudsman and a private rented sector database, and change how rent increases work. This guide explains the proposed changes and, more usefully, what landlords can do today to get properties up to standard.

What is the Renters' Rights Bill and where does it stand?

The Renters' Rights Bill is the legislation carrying the Government's rental reform agenda for England, and the single most important thing to understand is its status: it is legislation in progress, not a finished set of rules with fixed start dates. The Bill brings together reforms that have been promised across several years, replacing earlier proposals under the previous Renters (Reform) Bill. As it has moved through Parliament its detail has been debated and amended, and the precise commencement dates for each measure are expected to be set out in secondary legislation after the Bill receives Royal Assent. That means landlords reading about "the end of Section 21" or "periodic tenancies from a certain date" should treat specific dates with caution, because the timetable is staged and subject to confirmation. What is not in doubt is the direction of travel. The reforms tighten standards, remove no-fault eviction, and add oversight through an ombudsman and a national database. For London landlords, the right response is not to wait for every date to be fixed, but to get ahead of the standards the Bill targets, because the properties that will be unaffected by the change are the ones already kept in good repair and let compliantly. Landlords letting in London can read more about preparing on our /for-landlords page.

The abolition of Section 21 and the move to periodic tenancies

The headline reform is the proposed abolition of Section 21, the so-called no-fault eviction, and the linked move to a single system of periodic tenancies, and together they change how landlords end and structure tenancies. Under the current law a landlord can serve a Section 21 notice to regain possession at the end of a fixed term without giving a reason. The Bill proposes to abolish this. In its place, possession would be sought through the Section 8 route on specified grounds, with the grounds reformed and, for some, strengthened, for example where the landlord intends to sell or move in, or where there are rent arrears or breaches. The intention is that a landlord must have a valid, stated reason to recover possession rather than ending a tenancy at will. Alongside this, the Bill proposes to abolish fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies and move to a single periodic tenancy that rolls on a monthly basis, which tenants can end with notice. The practical effect for landlords is that the relationship becomes open-ended unless a valid possession ground applies. Because these changes are proposed and being commenced in stages, landlords should follow the confirmed timetable as it is published rather than assume an immediate switch. The preparation that matters either way is keeping good records, written tenancy terms and clear evidence of any grounds you may need to rely on.

The Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law come to the private sector

Two of the Bill's proposals matter more for the physical condition of a property than for tenancy paperwork: the extension of the Decent Homes Standard, and of Awaab's Law, to the private rented sector. These are where refurbishment and repair work directly meet the reform agenda. The Decent Homes Standard is a benchmark long applied to social housing, requiring homes to be free of serious hazards, in a reasonable state of repair, with reasonably modern facilities and effective insulation and heating. The Bill proposes to apply a Decent Homes Standard to privately rented homes for the first time, so that a private let must meet a minimum condition benchmark. The exact final standard for the private sector is being settled through the legislative process, but the thrust is clear: properties in disrepair or with serious hazards will not meet it. Awaab's Law, which sets binding timescales to investigate and fix hazards such as damp and mould, currently applies to social housing and is proposed to be extended to private lets through the Bill, with the specific timescales for the private sector to be confirmed in secondary legislation. The combined message is that condition standards are tightening. A landlord whose property has unresolved damp, mould, leaks or disrepair is exactly the landlord these measures are aimed at, and the work to bring a property up to standard, repairs, damp and mould fixes, and compliance works, is the work that puts a landlord on the right side of the change. We cover this through our /services/property-repairs, /services/fire-safety-compliance and /services/leak-damage-repair services.

The ombudsman, the database and rent increases

Three further proposals round out the package and add oversight and structure: a new landlord ombudsman, a private rented sector database, and reformed rules on rent increases. None requires building work, but each shapes how a compliant landlord operates. The Bill proposes a new ombudsman service for the private rented sector that landlords would be required to join, giving tenants a route to redress for complaints without going to court. A linked proposal is a private rented sector database, or portal, on which landlords and their properties would be registered, intended to improve transparency and help councils target enforcement. Landlords should expect a duty to register and to keep their entry accurate once these are in force. On rent, the Bill proposes that increases for periodic tenancies be made through the statutory Section 13 process once a year, with tenants able to challenge an above-market increase at the First-tier Tribunal, and it proposes to restrict practices such as backdated increases and rent bidding. As with the rest of the Bill, these are proposals being commenced in stages, so the operative detail will follow in regulations. The preparation point is administrative: keep tenancy and rent records clean, follow the statutory notice process for increases, and be ready to register with the ombudsman and database when required.

Summary of the proposed changes

Because the Bill bundles several reforms together, it helps to see them side by side. The table below summarises the key proposals and what each means for a landlord, with the important caveat that these are proposals progressing through the legislative process and being commenced in stages, not enacted rules with fixed dates. Treat it as a planning guide, not a statement of current law. The pattern across the table is consistent. The tenancy and oversight reforms call for better records and compliant processes; the condition reforms, the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law, call for properties to be brought up to and kept at a good standard. The second of those is where a landlord's spending decisions sit, and where getting ahead now avoids a rushed response later.

Proposed change	What it means for landlords
Abolition of Section 21	No-fault eviction removed; possession via reformed Section 8 grounds with a stated reason
Single periodic tenancy	Fixed terms replaced by rolling monthly tenancies tenants can end with notice
Decent Homes Standard for PRS	Private lets must meet a minimum condition benchmark, free of serious hazards and in repair
Awaab's Law for PRS	Binding timescales to investigate and fix hazards such as damp and mould (timescales to be confirmed)
Landlord ombudsman	Mandatory membership of a redress scheme for tenant complaints
PRS database / portal	Landlords and properties registered to improve transparency and enforcement
Rent increase rules	Increases via annual statutory process, challengeable at tribunal; bidding and backdating restricted

What landlords should do now to prepare

The reforms are still being finalised, but the preparation that matters does not depend on the final dates, because it is about getting properties to a standard that will satisfy whatever benchmark lands. A landlord who waits for certainty before acting risks a scramble; a landlord who prepares now is simply maintaining a good property. Start with condition. Walk each property and deal with the issues the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law target: outstanding repairs, damp, mould, leaks, failed seals, tired bathrooms and anything a tenant could fairly report as disrepair. Fixing the cause of damp rather than painting over it, stopping leaks at source, and keeping the structure and finishes in good order is precisely the work that pre-empts a hazard finding. Next, check safety compliance, fire safety, alarms and, for shared houses, HMO standards, since condition and safety are assessed together. Then tidy the administration: written tenancy terms, accurate records, a clear process for handling repair reports promptly, and readiness to register with an ombudsman and database when required. The condition work is where we help, bringing properties up to a lettable, compliant standard through repairs, damp and mould remediation and compliance works, so that when the reforms take effect the property already meets the mark. Preparing this way turns a regulatory change from a threat into a non-event.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Section 21 been abolished?

Not yet. The abolition of Section 21 no-fault evictions is a key proposal in the Renters' Rights Bill, which is progressing through the legislative process. The change is expected to be brought into force in stages through secondary legislation rather than on a single fixed date, so landlords should follow the confirmed commencement timetable as it is published and keep good records of any possession grounds they may need.

What is the Decent Homes Standard for private renting?

The Decent Homes Standard is a benchmark long applied to social housing, requiring homes to be free of serious hazards, in a reasonable state of repair and with reasonably modern facilities, insulation and heating. The Renters' Rights Bill proposes to apply a Decent Homes Standard to privately rented homes for the first time. The exact private-sector standard is being settled through the legislative process, but properties in disrepair or with serious hazards would not meet it.

Will Awaab's Law apply to private landlords?

It is proposed to. Awaab's Law, which sets binding timescales to investigate and fix hazards such as damp and mould, currently applies to social housing, and the Renters' Rights Bill proposes to extend it to the private rented sector. The specific timescales for private lets are expected to be confirmed in secondary legislation. The safe approach now is to respond to any damp or mould report promptly, investigate the cause and fix it at source.

What should landlords do to prepare for the Renters' Rights Bill?

Focus on what does not depend on the final dates: bring properties up to standard. Clear outstanding repairs, fix damp, mould and leaks at source, keep safety and HMO compliance current, and maintain written tenancy terms and accurate records with a prompt process for handling repair reports. The condition work that pre-empts a hazard finding under the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law is the most valuable preparation a landlord can do now.

Are fixed-term tenancies being abolished?

The Renters' Rights Bill proposes to abolish fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies and move to a single periodic tenancy that rolls monthly, which a tenant can end with notice. This is a proposal being commenced in stages rather than an immediate switch, so landlords should follow the confirmed timetable. In practice the tenancy relationship would become open-ended unless a valid possession ground applies.

The Renters' Rights Bill: A London Landlord's Guide (2026)