The Renters' Rights Act - what changed on 1 May?

As of 1 May 2026, renting in England works differently. The Renters' Rights Act, which became law in October 2025, has now switched on its biggest set of changes. If you own rental property in Greater Manchester - whether that's a single buy-to-let or a portfolio of HMOs - here's what's different and what it means for you.

Section 21 has gone

The headline change is the end of "no-fault" evictions. Landlords can no longer serve a section 21 notice; the last day to do so was 30 April. From now on, if you need to regain possession, you'll need to rely on one of the grounds set out under section 8.

Those grounds have been updated. There are now clearer routes if you want to sell the property or move a family member in, as well as for rent arrears and anti-social behaviour. The key difference is that you need a genuine reason, and you need to evidence it properly.

Every tenancy is now periodic

Fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies are being replaced by rolling, periodic tenancies. Tenants can stay for as long as they like, and can leave by giving two months' notice. For landlords, that means planning around flexibility rather than fixed end dates.

Rent rules have tightened

• Rent increases are limited to once a year, with two months' notice.
• Rental bidding is banned. You must accept the advertised rent, and agents can't encourage tenants to offer more.
• Rent in advance is capped. For new tenancies, no rent can be taken before the agreement is signed, and after that you can only ask for one month at a time.

Fairer access for tenants

It's now illegal to discriminate against renters who have children or who receive benefits. Blanket "No DSS" or "No children" policies are out. Landlords also have to properly consider any request from a tenant to keep a pet and can't unreasonably refuse.

What you need to do this month

The changes don't stop at new tenancies. If you have existing tenants, you're required to send them the government's official Information Sheet explaining the new rules, and the deadline is 31 May 2026. If any of your tenancies were agreed verbally, you'll also need to issue a Written Statement of Terms by the same date.

It's also worth reviewing:

• Your advertising wording, to make sure nothing could be read as discriminatory
• Your referencing process, so you're assessing every applicant on the same fair basis
• How you'll handle pet requests, so you can respond consistently and on time

How we're helping our landlords

For the landlords we manage, we've already served the Information Sheets, updated our tenancy paperwork and reviewed every live listing. That's the benefit of fully managed lettings - the legislation changes, and we handle the adjustments so you don't have to.

If you self-manage and the 1 May changes have left you with more questions than answers, get in touch. We're happy to talk through what the Act means for your properties and whether our management service could take the pressure off.

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