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Guide to the Renters’ Rights Bill 2025

Guide to the Renters’ Rights Bill

Background
Reform of the sector is long overdue, and we will act where previous governments have failed. The private rented sector currently provides the least affordable, poorest quality and most insecure housing of all tenures. A functioning private rented sector can provide security and flexibility. Millions of people in England live with the fear of being uprooted with little notice, leading to insecurity and substandard living conditions.
Overview of bill measures

• Abolish section 21 evictions
• Ensure fair possession grounds
• Provide protections against backdoor evictions
• Introduce a Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman
• Create a Private Rented Sector Database
• Strengthen tenant rights to request pets
• Apply Decent Homes Standard
• Implement ‘Awaab’s Law’
• Make it illegal for discrimination based on benefits or children
• Prohibit rental bidding
• Strengthen local authority enforcement
• Expand rent repayment orders
  
  Tenancy reform
• Introduce a transformative new tenancy system
• End fixed-term assured tenancies
• Clarify and expand possession grounds
• Provide protections for tenants in arrears
• Strengthen rights for landlords reclaiming properties
• Introduce limited possession grounds for vital sectors
  
  Rent increases
• Empower tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases
• Limit rent increases to once per year
• Reform Tribunal process for fair determination
• No backdating of rent increases
• Allow deferment in cases of undue hardship
• Prohibit rent increases by any other means
  
  Implementation
• Introduce new tenancy system in one stage
• Ensure smooth transition and sufficient notice
• Update Direction to Regulator of Social Housing
• Apply the new system to social tenancies at a later date
  
  For more detailed information, refer to the “Table 1: Grounds for possession” section of the bill.

Table 1: Grounds for possession

Ground		Summary	Notice period
Mandatory grounds
1	Occupation by landlord or family	The landlord or their close family member wishes to move into the property. Cannot be used for the first 12 months of a new tenancy.	4 months
1A	Sale of dwelling-house	The landlord wishes to sell the property. Cannot be used for the first 12 months of a new tenancy.	4 months
1B	Sale of dwelling-house under rent-to-buy	The landlord is a private registered provider of social housing and the tenancy is under a rent-to-buy agreement.	4 months
2	Sale by mortgagee	The property is subject to a mortgage and the lender exercises a power of sale requiring vacant possession.	4 months
2ZA	Possession when superior lease ends	The landlord’s lease is under a superior tenancy that is ending. Can only be used by private registered providers of social housing, agricultural landlords, a person who held the dwelling for the purposes of making it supported accommodation or a company majority owned by a local authority.	4 months
2ZB	Possession when superior lease ends	The landlord’s lease is under a superior tenancy that is coming to an end or has ended. Can only be used if the superior lease was for a fixed term of over 21 years.	4 months
2ZC	Possession by superior landlord	After a superior tenancy ends, the superior landlord becomes the tenant’s direct landlord and seeks to take possession. Can only be used where the intermediate landlord prior to reversion was a private registered provider of social housing, agricultural landlord, a person who held the dwelling for the purposes of making it supported accommodation or a company majority owned by a local authority.	4 months
2ZD	Possession by superior landlord	After a superior tenancy ends, the superior landlord becomes the tenant’s direct landlord and seeks to take possession. Can only be used where the superior lease was for a fixed period of over 21 years and has expired, or within a 12 month period of the fixed term expiry date, if the fixed term has been ended early. Or if the superior tenancy comes to an end after the expiry of the fixed term as a result of a valid notice.	4 months
4	Student accommodation	In the 12 months prior to the start of the tenancy, the property was let to students. Can only be used by specified educational establishments.	2 weeks
4A	Properties rented to students for occupation by new students	A HMO is let to full-time students and is required for a new group of students in line with the academic year. Cannot be used if the tenancy was agreed more than 6 months in advance of the tenancy starting (i.e. the tenant moving in).	4 months
5	Ministers of religion	The property is held for use by a minister of religion to perform the duties of their office and is required for occupation by a minister of religion.	2 months
5A	Occupation by agricultural worker	The landlord requires possession to house someone who will be employed by them as an agricultural worker.	2 months
5B	Occupation by person who meets employment requirements	A private registered provider of social housing holds the property for use by tenants meeting requirements connected with their employment and it is required for that purpose (and the current tenant does not fulfil those requirements).	2 months
5C	End of employment by the landlord	Previously ground 16 (expanded). The dwelling was let as a result of the tenant’s employment by the landlord and the employment has come to an end OR the tenancy was not meant to last the duration of the employment and the dwelling is required by a new employee.	2 months
5D	End of employment requirements	A private registered provider of social housing, included an employment requirement in the tenancy agreement that the tenant no longer fulfils (e.g., key worker).	2 months
5E	Occupation as supported accommodation	The property is held for use as supported accommodation and the current tenant did not enter the tenancy for the purpose of receiving care, support or supervision.	4 weeks
5F	Dwelling-house occupied as supported accommodation	The tenancy is for supported accommodation and one of the circumstances set out in the ground, making the accommodation no longer viable or suitable for that tenant, has occurred.	4 weeks
5G	Tenancy granted for homelessness duty	The property has been used as temporary accommodation for a homeless household, under s193 of the Housing Act 1996, and a local housing authority has notified the landlord that the tenancy is no longer required for that purpose. The landlord can only use this ground if within 12 months of the date of the notice from the local housing authority.	4 weeks
5H	Occupation as ‘stepping stone accommodation’	A registered provider of social housing or a charity lets to a tenant meeting eligibility criteria (e.g., under a certain age) at “affordable rent”, to help them access the private rented sector and/or transition to living independently, and the tenant no longer meets the eligibility criteria, or a limited period has come to an end.	2 months
6	Redevelopment	The landlord wishes to demolish or substantially redevelop the property which cannot be done with the tenant in situ. Various time limits and/or notice requirements exist for this ground depending on the circumstances. The landlord and tenancy must be of the kind listed in the table. A relevant social landlord who intends to carry out redevelopment work and seeks possession on Ground 6 either through case A or B will need to provide alternative accommodation that meets specific conditions set out in case A or B and is either available or will be available when an order for possession takes effect.	4 months
6A	Decant Accomodation	The tenant has been provided with alternative accommodation by a relevant social landlord while redevelopment affecting the tenant’s original home is carried out.	4 months
6B	Compliance with enforcement action	The landlord is subject to enforcement action and needs to regain possession to become compliant. Under this ground, the court will be allowed to require the landlord to pay compensation to the tenant when ordering possession.	4 months
7	Death of tenant	The tenancy was passed on by will or intestacy, and proceedings began within the requisite period of 12 months. The ground can only be used if the new tenant wasn’t living in the property immediately before the previous tenant died, the previous tenant also inherited the tenancy or it is a “special tenancy”, e.g. supported accommodation.	2 months
7A	Severe ASB/Criminal Behaviour	The tenant has been convicted of a type of offence listed in the ground, has breached a relevant order put in place to prevent anti-social behaviour or there is a closure order in place prohibiting access for a continuous period of more than 48 hours.	Landlords can begin proceedings immediately
7B	No right to rent	At least one of the tenants has no right to rent under immigration law as a result of their immigration status and the Secretary of State has given notice to the landlord of this.	2 weeks
8	Rent arrears	The tenant has at least 3 months’ (or 13 weeks’ if rent is paid weekly or fortnightly) rent arrears both at the time notice is served and at the time of the possession hearing.	4 weeks
Discretionary grounds
9	Suitable alternative accommodation	Suitable alternative accommodation is available for the tenant	2 months
10	Any rent arrears	The tenant is in any amount of arrears	4 weeks
11	Persistent arrears	The tenant has persistently delayed paying their rent,	4 weeks
12	Breach of tenancy	The tenant is guilty of breaching one of the terms of their tenancy agreement (other than the paying of rent).	2 weeks
13	Deterioration of property	The tenant has caused the condition of the property to deteriorate.	2 weeks
14	Anti-social behaviour	The tenant or anyone living in or visiting the property has been guilty of behaviour causing, or likely to cause, nuisance or annoyance to the landlord, a person employed in connection with housing management functions, or anyone living in, visiting or in the locality of the property. Or the tenant or a person living or visiting the property has been convicted of using the premises for illegal/immoral purposes, or has been convicted of an indictable offence in the locality.	Landlords can begin proceedings immediately
14A	Domestic Abuse	A social landlord wishes to evict the perpetrator of domestic violence if the partner has fled and is unlikely to return.	2 weeks
14ZA	Rioting	The tenant or another adult living at the property has been convicted of an indictable offence which took place at a riot in the UK.	2 weeks
15	Deterioration of furniture	The tenant has caused the condition of the furniture to deteriorate.	2 weeks
17	False statement	The tenancy was granted due to a false statement made knowingly or recklessly by the tenant or someone acting on their instigation.	2 weeks
18	Supported accommodation	The tenancy is for supported accommodation and the tenant is refusing to engage with the support.	4

Frequently asked questions
How does a private landlord currently evict a tenant?
Under the Housing Act 1988, landlords must serve a legal notice to end a tenancy. If the tenant does not leave, the landlord must go to court, which can instruct bailiffs to enforce eviction. Currently, a landlord can evict a tenant without providing any reason – a section 21 eviction. This requires the landlord to give the tenant 2 months’ notice. After this, it is always mandatory for the court to order eviction of the tenant if the tenant does not leave during the notice period. Landlords may also seek possession using section 8 grounds – a list of circumstances defined in law in which a landlord can evict a tenant, for example due to rent arrears. If a tenant does not leave during the notice period, a landlord must prove to a court that the ground applies.
What problems are the reforms intended to solve?
Section 21 means more than 11 million renters in England live day in, day out with the knowledge that they could be uprooted from their home with little notice and minimal justification. This can impact their ability to work or attend school and puts them at risk of homelessness. Section 21 also means a significant minority of tenants are forced to live in substandard accommodation due to a fear that, if they complain, their landlord can simply evict them in retaliation. Fixed terms mean tenants are locked in, and must pay rent regardless of whether the property is fit to live in – giving unscrupulous landlords no incentive to complete repairs. They also remove flexibility for both parties to respond to changes in personal circumstances, for example if a tenant wants to move to take up a new job. Existing tenancy legislation is extremely complex, and tenants and landlords can struggle to understand their rights and responsibilities. Introducing a simpler, more standardised system will help everyone act within the law.
What security does a tenant have under the new system?
The bill will protect tenants from section 21 evictions, and mean landlords can only end tenancies in specific circumstances set out in law, including where the tenant is at fault or if the landlord needs to sell. Tenants will benefit from a 12-month protected period at the beginning of a tenancy, during which landlords cannot evict them to move in or sell the property. Landlords will need to provide 4 months’ notice when using these grounds, giving tenants more time to find a new home. We are also expanding protections for tenants who temporarily fall into rent arrears by increasing the mandatory threshold for eviction to 3 months’ arrears from 2 months, alongside other measures.
How will a landlord regain possession in the future?
The Renters’ Rights Bill will abolish section 21 evictions, meaning landlords must instead use a section 8 ground for possession – these are specific circumstances in which a landlord can regain possession. The bill will ensure landlords enjoy robust grounds for possession. The grounds for possession are outlined in ‘Table 1’ above and cover all circumstances when it is reasonable for a landlord to take their property back. To regain possession, landlords will serve notice in the prescribed form, giving at least the required notice period to the tenant. As in the current system, landlords will need to go to court if a tenant does not leave and provide evidence that the ground applies.
How will a tenant end a tenancy once the reforms are implemented?
A tenant will be able to end a tenancy by giving 2 months’ notice. The end date of the tenancy will need to align with the end of a rent period.
What evidence will a landlord need to provide?
If a tenant does not leave when an eviction notice is served, a landlord will need to provide evidence in court to prove the relevant ground applies. We will issue guidance to support landlords with this. Courts are best placed to interpret the available evidence depending on the facts of the case, and we do not wish to restrict this role in legislation. As an example, a landlord might show they have instructed an estate agent and solicitor if they wished to prove they were selling a property.
Will a landlord be able to increase rents in the new system?
The government does not support the introduction of rent controls, and nothing in the bill restricts landlords raising rents in line with market prices. In the new system, all private rented sector rent increases will be made via the statutory ‘section 13’ process, as amended by the bill. This requires a landlord to complete a simple form, which will be published on GOV.UK, and serve this on the tenant. Once the form is served, the landlord will not have to take further action. If the tenant accepts the proposed rent increase, they simply need to pay the new amount on the next rent day. A tenant can dispute the increase by applying to the First-tier Tribunal, if they think it is above market rate. This must be before the starting date of the proposed new rent and tenants should notify their landlord that they are doing so. The bill makes changes to the Tribunal system to support tenants in challenging unreasonable rent increases. Landlords for social rented tenants who meet the definition of “relevant low-cost tenancies” (as defined in the bill) will retain the current mechanisms for increasing rent. This includes increasing the rent at any point in the first 52 weeks of a tenancy and using review clauses within a tenancy to increase the rent, as they can at present.
When will the tenancy reforms be implemented?
We will introduce the new tenancy system for the private rented sector in one stage. On this date, the new tenancy system will apply to all private tenancies – existing tenancies will convert to the new system, and any new tenancies signed on or after this date will also be governed by the new rules. A one-stage implementation will prevent a confusing 2-tier system, and give all tenants security immediately. We will provide the sector with sufficient notice of the system taking effect, and work closely with all parties to ensure a smooth transition. For tenancies where the landlord is a private registered provider of social housing, we will implement the new system at a later date. This is to allow time to update our Direction to the Regulator of Social Housing so that they can update their Tenancy Standard – this requires a statutory consultation process.
How will the new system affect the county court?
As now, landlords will only need to go through the courts in a small minority of cases where a tenant doesn’t leave at the end of a notice period. Ultimately, we expect our rental reforms to reduce demand on the courts because only cases where there is a clear, well-evidenced ground for possession will be able to proceed. We want to ensure that wherever possible court action is the last resort. The Renters’ Rights Bill makes provision for the ombudsman to provide landlord-initiated mediation, enabling disputes to be resolved before they escalate to court. We are working with the Ministry of Justice to explore further options for early dispute resolution. However, where a dispute cannot be resolved through other methods, the involvement of the courts will continue to be a necessary part of the possession process, to ensure that landlords have proper grounds for proceeding. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is working with the Judiciary, the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunals Service to ensure that the county court is prepared for the changes to the tenancy system.
How will non-PRS sectors be affected by the new system?
The new tenancy system will be used by landlords outside the private rented sector – including private registered providers (PRPs) of social housing (typically housing associations) and providers of supported accommodation, as well as landlords providing temporary accommodation to homeless households. The reforms will apply to PRPs, in much the same way as private landlords. This will ensure social tenants have the same protections and flexibilities as those living in the private rented sector. In some sectors, it is necessary to move tenants on where accommodation is intended for a particular purpose, particularly where the current tenant may no longer need the accommodation or is no longer eligible to occupy it. We will therefore introduce a limited number of possession grounds to ensure there is an adequate supply of properties in these sectors. This includes vital sectors such as temporary and supported accommodation, and for critical housing schemes such as ‘stepping stone’ accommodation. We will also expand ‘ground 6’ for redevelopment to relevant social landlords to support redevelopment of properties where required, and introduce a new possession ground for relevant social landlords where a tenant has been provided with alternative accommodation while redevelopment affecting the tenant’s original home is carried out. Where the landlord seeks possession under these grounds, they will usually need to provide alternative accommodation that meets specific requirements.
Rent in advance
The Renters’ Rights Bill will end the practice of landlords demanding large amounts of rent in advance from tenants looking to secure a tenancy. This unfair practice can encourage prospective tenants to stretch their finances to the limit, preventing them from moving within, or accessing the sector altogether. Once enacted, the Renters’ Rights Bill will amend the Tenant Fees Act 2019 to prohibit landlords or letting agents from requiring or accepting any payment of rent in advance of the tenancy being entered into. A landlord will only be able to require up to one month’s rent (or 28 days’ rent for tenancies with rental periods of less than one month) once a tenancy agreement has been signed and before commencement. The Renters’ Rights Bill will also amend the Housing Act 1988 to provide that, once a tenancy starts, a landlord will be unable to enforce any terms in a tenancy agreement that require rent to be paid in advance of the agreed due date. This measure will protect prospective tenants from large requests for rent in advance that are beyond their means.
Frequently asked questions
Rent in advance can be a useful tool for tenants who may be new to renting, have poor credit histories, or who may not pass the necessary affordability checks. Won’t this measure lock some tenants out of the market? Requirements for large amounts of rent in advance can be a significant barrier to starting to rent or moving into a new rented home. While some tenants can use rent in advance to their advantage, we believe that by prohibiting rental bidding and requests for large amounts of rent in advance, we will protect more tenants from practices where they are pitted against one another and face undue costs. We are clear that landlords should consider a tenant’s individual circumstances when negotiating rental conditions. When will you implement the rent in advance prohibition? Following Royal Assent of the Renters’ Rights Bill, we will allow time for a smooth transition to the new system. We will support tenants, landlords and agents to understand and adjust to the new rules, while making sure that prospective tenants can benefit from the reforms as soon as possible. We will engage with the sector on the implementation of the rent in advance provisions. How will this be enforced in England? Local councils will have the power to require landlords to repay a prohibited payment of rent in advance to the tenant and to impose a civil penalty on landlords, and anyone acting directly or indirectly on their behalf, of up to £5,000 for breaches. Which tenancies does this apply to? Restrictions on rent in advance will apply to all assured tenancies in England, except tenancies of social housing or tenancies created to allow local councils to discharge their homelessness duties. Which nations do the rent in advance prohibitions apply to? Housing is a devolved matter. The rent in advance prohibitions apply only in England. This doesn’t prevent tenants from paying rent advance within a tenancy. Isn’t this a loophole? While landlords will be restricted from including terms in a tenancy agreement which require rent to be due in advance of the rent period to which the rent relates, tenants will remain free to pay prior to the rent due date should they wish to do so. This maintains flexibility for tenants to manage their tenancies in the way that best suits them. A landlord will not be able to require a tenant to pay their rent before it is due.
Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman
The government will introduce a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman Service, which all private landlords in England with assured or regulated tenancies will be required by law to join, including those who use a managing agent. Tenants will be able to use the service for free to complain about a landlords’ actions or behaviours. The service will offer fair, impartial and binding resolution for tenants, and will have powers to compel landlords to issue an apology, provide information, take remedial action and/or pay compensation. The service will also benefit landlords by resolving tenant-initiated complaints in the quickest and most cost-effective way possible. Landlords will also have access to guidance and support from the ombudsman service to help them improve their complaint handling practices. The bill includes robust enforcement measures for the ombudsman service. Local councils will be able to take action against landlords who fail to join or against anyone who markets a PRS property where the landlord is not registered. This will include civil penalties of up to £7,000 for initial breaches and up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution for continuing or repeated breaches. Tenants will be able to seek rent repayment orders against their landlord if the landlord commits an offence by persistently failing to join the ombudsman service. Landlords will be required to comply with ombudsman decisions. Failure to comply may result in a landlord being expelled from the scheme and subsequent local council enforcement action, as outlined above. There will be a route for landlords to rejoin the ombudsman service if they take the necessary steps to become compliant.
Frequently asked questions
When will the ombudsman service be introduced and landlords be expected to sign up? Will they be expected to pay for membership? The ombudsman service will be introduced as soon as possible after Royal Assent. Landlords will be given notice of the date by which they will be required to sign up to the ombudsman service and sufficient time to make appropriate arrangements. We expect that landlords will likely be required to pay a small annual fee per PRS property. The ombudsman service will set this fee based on the costs of operating an effective service and we will work with them to make sure it is proportionate and good value. How will a tenant challenge their landlord using the ombudsman service and what powers will it have to help tenants resolve their complaints? The ombudsman service will independently and impartially investigate tenant complaints. If the service determines that the landlord acted unreasonably or unprofessionally when handling a tenant’s original complaint to the landlord, the ombudsman will be able to tell a landlord to take or cease taking an action, issue an apology or explanation, and/or award compensation to put things right. Landlords who are members of the ombudsman must abide by the ombudsman’s decisions. We expect tenants will be able to contact the ombudsman online or by telephone and we will work to ensure that all tenants, including those who are vulnerable, can access the service. What will tenants be able to complain to the ombudsman service about and will prospective and former, as well as current, tenants be able to make complaints? Broadly, the ombudsman service will consider complaints from tenants regarding actions, inactions or behaviours of a landlord which has caused harm or inconvenience. The types of complaint that the service will consider are not included on the face of the Renters’ Rights Bill so the ombudsman can retain sufficient discretion to consider the individual circumstances of each complaint. When a property is marketed for letting, the landlord will be required to be a member of the ombudsman service. We will also expect landlords to remain members for a reasonable amount of time once they have stopped being a landlord. This is because things can go wrong for tenants at any point in the rental process, so it is reasonable for tenants to have the opportunity to seek redress for harm or inconvenience caused during the pre-letting period or at the end of a tenancy. Will landlords be able to complain to the ombudsman about their tenants? No, it would be unprecedented and inappropriate for landlords to seek binding decisions from the ombudsman service, which is designed to protect consumer rights. Therefore, only tenants will be able to seek redress from the service. However, we are committed to ensuring that landlords, like tenants, have appropriate access to alternative dispute resolution. We are exploring options for landlord-initiated mediation for landlords to resolve issued with their tenants. Will landlords who use an agent to manage their property need to join and how will tenants know where to complaint if their landlord uses a managing agent? Yes. Landlords who use managing agents are still responsible for their own behaviour and still retain legal obligations to tenants – particularly around standards and repairs. Landlords and agents will remain responsible for their own actions and behaviours, as well as the respective services they have agreed and are legally bound to provide to tenants. Tenants and landlords will still be able to complain about agents and receive redress through the existing agent redress schemes. If the landlord and agent are both at fault, the provision for cooperation in the bill will allow the PRS Landlord Ombudsman to work with the existing agent redress schemes to conduct joint investigations and, where appropriate, issue joint decisions. Which organisation will take on the role of the new ombudsman? The government will pursue the most appropriate route for designating or approving an ombudsman scheme to provide the best service for tenants and landlords. The administrator of the PRS Landlord Ombudsman Service will be appointed as soon as possible after the bill’s provisions are commenced.
Private Rented Sector Database
The Renters’ Rights Bill will introduce a new Private Rented Sector Database. All landlords of assured and regulated tenancies will be legally required to register themselves and their properties on the database and could be subject to penalties if they market or let out a property without registering it and providing the required information. The database will provide a ‘one stop shop’ for landlords allowing them to access relevant guidance through a single ‘front door’. This will provide the basis for an effective service, helping landlords understand their obligations and demonstrate compliance. The database will also be used for communicating changes to requirements – ensuring landlords have access to simple up-to-date information about their responsibilities. For tenants, the database will increase transparency and the information available before they decide to rent a property and throughout their renting journey. This will allow them to take effective action to enforce their rights and be aware when they can escalate issues with their property to their local council or the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman. The database will provide local councils with more data about private rented sector properties. One of the biggest and most time-consuming barriers faced by local councils is identifying poor quality and non-compliant private rented sector properties and who owns them. The database will provide a trusted and consistent intelligence source which will remove unnecessary, frustrating administration, meaning council staff will be able to focus on enforcement against criminal landlords.
Frequently asked questions
How will a landlord sign up to the database and what happens if they don’t? All landlords of assured and regulated tenancies will be legally required to register themselves and their properties on the database. They will be able to do this online. For those who are unable to register online, we will offer alternative offline ways for registrations to be processed. Landlords in breach of the duty to register on the database will not be able to get a possession order except if the ground under which possession is sought is ground 7A or ground 14 (tenant anti-social behaviour). Local councils will be able to take enforcement action against private landlords that fail to join the PRS Database. If a landlord lets or advertises a property without it first being registered on the database, they can be issued with a civil penalty of up to £7,000 by the local council. If a landlord repeatedly breaches

More details on GOV website