Renters' Rights Act takes effect in England, ending no-fault evictions

Key facts

• The Renters' Rights Act came into force in England on Friday.
• Section 21 no-fault evictions are now banned.
• Citizens Advice helped 2,335 people with no-fault evictions in March, up 16% year-on-year.
• Law firm Thackray Williams saw a fourfold increase in Section 21 instructions this year.
• Rent increases are limited to once a year with two months' notice.
• Upfront rent demands are capped at one month's payment.
• Bidding wars for rental properties are banned.
• Penalties for breaking the law can reach £40,000.

Last-minute rush as landlords race to evict before ban

Solicitors across England have been inundated with requests from landlords seeking to serve Section 21 eviction notices hours before the ban took effect on Friday. Mustafa Sidki, a partner at London- and Kent-based law firm Thackray Williams, described Wednesday as 'absolutely manically busy,' with landlords desperate to evict tenants and sell properties before the new rules kicked in. Sidki said the number of Section 21 instructions he had received this year was up fourfold on last year. The last-minute nature of the requests forced landlords to pay process servers to hand-deliver notices, as posting them would not meet the deadline. 'I'm having to say to them if I post it, it's not going to be served on time,' Sidki explained, adding that landlords needed photographic evidence of the notice being affixed to a door or pushed through a letterbox.

New law ends fixed-term tenancies and limits rent hikes

The Renters' Rights Act, hailed as the biggest change to renting in a generation, abolishes fixed-term tenancies, allowing tenants to end any tenancy with two months' notice. Rent increases are now limited to once a year, with two months' notice, and must be at the market rate. Upfront rent demands are capped at one month's payment, and bidding wars for rental properties are banned. The law also prohibits discrimination against prospective tenants on benefits or with children, and gives renters the right to request pets, which landlords cannot unreasonably refuse. Councils have been given new powers and additional funding to investigate rogue landlords, with penalties of up to £40,000 for breaches.

Tenant groups celebrate end of 'everyday injustice'

Tenant advocacy groups welcomed the reforms, particularly the end of Section 21 evictions. Clara Collingwood, director of the Renters Reform Coalition, said the old law allowed landlords to 'get away with outrageous behaviour – profiting from unhealthy homes and threatening tenants who try to stand up to them.' She added that years of campaigning had brought the country 'significantly closer to securing decent, secure homes for every renter.' Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, said the outdated law had been 'sent packing,' but warned that the new rules would only improve lives if councils used their powers to enforce them. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said renting would now be 'fairer, safer and more secure for millions,' while Housing Secretary Steve Reed declared it 'the beginning of a new era for private renters.'

Surge in demand for advice as tenants face uncertainty

a sharp increase in tenants seeking help ahead of the law change. In March, the charity assisted 2,335 people facing no-fault evictions, a 16% rise from the same month last year. It also helped more than 1,800 people dealing with disrepair issues such as damp and mould, and over 1,000 with rent increases. Sidki noted that many tenants were choosing to stay in their homes until served a warrant of possession, due to a lack of alternative housing. 'A lot of people are saying there's no housing for them anywhere else and they can't get social housing,' he said. 'The intention [of the new law] is good. But there's still a lack of housing.'

Bristol: a case study in rental market pressures

In Bristol, the third most expensive city for rent in England, nearly 125,000 people – a quarter of the population – rent privately, well above the national average of 19%. Typical private tenants spent 44.6% of their income on rent in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics. Tenant Japheth Monzon said the new law gave him 'safety and assurance,' noting that research from Generation Rent showed people from ethnic minority backgrounds faced higher rent hikes. 'Now I can know that I will be fine with my finances for a year,' he added. A campaign group, We Rent, has been touring the West of England with a pop-up living room to explain the new rights to tenants in Bristol, Bath and Weston-super-Mare.

Outlook: enforcement and housing supply remain challenges

While the Renters' Rights Act marks a significant shift, experts caution that its success depends on robust enforcement and addressing the underlying shortage of affordable housing. The government has allocated extra funding to councils and is digitalising courts to handle an expected rise in Section 8 eviction cases and tribunal hearings over rent increases. Sidki said many buy-to-let landlords feared being unable to cover mortgage payments if relationships with tenants broke down, driving the rush to evict now. 'People are scared. That's why they're doing the section 21 notices now, because it's perceived to be quicker and easier than what's coming,' he said. The new law bans no-fault evictions but allows landlords to evict if they or family members want to move in, or if they intend to sell.

The bottom line

• The Renters' Rights Act bans Section 21 no-fault evictions in England, effective May 1.
• Rent increases are limited to once a year, and upfront rent demands capped at one month.
• Fixed-term tenancies are abolished; tenants can leave with two months' notice.
• Discrimination against tenants on benefits or with children is now illegal.
• Landlords rushed to serve last-minute Section 21 notices, with instructions up fourfold.
• Enforcement by councils and adequate housing supply are critical to the law's success.