Renters' Rights Act for letting agents
What changes for your agency, and when.
Dates from the government roadmap, and the records kept for each.
Renters' Rights Act timeline
The roadmap, date by date.
27 October 2025
Royal Assent
The Act became law; its parts start later.
27 December 2025
Council investigatory powers
Councils' new investigatory powers started.
Records kept
An audit trail of every tenancy and property.
1 May 2026
Phase one for private assured tenancies
Tenancies became assured periodic and section 21 was repealed. Rent rises are limited to once a year, and pet requests need a reply within 28 days.
Records kept
Each section 13 notice and each pet request, with its reply.
31 May 2026
Information Sheet to existing tenants
Existing tenants had to have the Information Sheet by this date.
Records kept
Proof it went to each named tenant: the date, how, and the file.
From late 2026
PRS Database
The PRS Database starts. It is rolling out, not yet live everywhere.
Records kept
Each landlord's and property's registration number, on the landlord list.
Expected 2028
PRS Landlord Ombudsman
Mandatory membership of the ombudsman is expected.
Records kept
Each landlord's membership reference.
Not yet dated
Still to come.
The Decent Homes Standard is proposed for 2035 or 2037, and Awaab's Law dates are still to be consulted on. The maximum civil penalty for some housing offences rises from £30,000 to £40,000 (roadmap, Annex B).
Sources
Read the rules.
- Implementation roadmap (gov.uk)
- Renters' Rights Act 2025 (legislation.gov.uk)
- SI 2026/421, commencement (legislation.gov.uk)
Check the source for how a rule applies to a tenancy.