Renters’ Rights Act: What’s Changing from 1 May 2026
You’ve probably seen the headlines, the Renters’ Rights Act is bringing in some meaningful changes for private tenancies in England from 1 May 2026.

There has been a lot of coverage around this, and as with many legislative changes, the reporting can sometimes make things sound more worrying or dramatic than they are in practice.

The simple version is this: we’ve been working on these changes for the last 12 months, updating our documents, revising our processes, and quietly putting everything in place behind the scenes so there is as little disruption as possible for our landlords, and we’re confident we’ve achieved that.

As a local, independent business with over 20 years of experience looking after landlords and tenants, our aim is to make letting as straightforward as possible. That means staying ahead of legislation, keeping you protected, and doing the work quietly in the background so your property investment remains simple.

What this means for you

No action is required from you right now.

• We will handle the changes automatically
• We will only contact you if something genuinely needs your input

The bottom line
For most landlords, day to day management should feel much the same. The main time you are likely to notice a difference is if you need to regain possession or take a property back — and if that happens, we will guide you clearly and properly at the time.

Market update
After a period of unusually fast rent growth over the last few years, we are now seeing a calmer, more stable market. Good homes are still letting well, tenant demand remains strong, and the sales market continues to see steady activity. Overall, we remain positive about the medium to long term outlook.

Renters’ Rights Act, Changes from 1 May 2026

1) Section 21 notices are ending
Landlords will need a valid legal reason to regain possession.

What we’ve done
We have revised our possession processes, updated notice templates and evidence checklists, and trained the team on the revised possession grounds so that if you ever need to regain possession, we will guide you step by step and handle it properly.

2) Fixed-term tenancies move to periodic tenancies
Tenancies will move to a rolling format rather than ending at a fixed point.

What we’ve done
We have updated our tenancy documents and internal systems so tenancies transition correctly. In practice, this removes the need for renewals, with the key annual touchpoint becoming the rent review, which we manage for you.

3) Rent increases limited to once per year
Rent reviews remain, but increases are limited to once in a 12-month period, and tenants can challenge increases they believe are not in line with the market.

What we’ve done
We have revised our rent review process, built in clear market evidence, and updated our notices so reviews remain compliant and run smoothly, with us managing the annual process for you.

4) Rent in advance capped at one month
Larger upfront rent payments will no longer be permitted at the start of a tenancy.

What we’ve done
Where appropriate, we have strengthened our guarantor-based approach, allowing us to place good tenants confidently while remaining fully compliant.

5) Clearer rules around pets and discrimination

What we’ve done
In practice, this reflects how we already operate. We have always treated applicants fairly, handled pet requests sensibly on a case by case basis, and applied consistent decision making. The process has simply been formalised and the wording updated to reflect the new rules.

If you would like to talk through how these changes might affect a specific property or tenancy, please contact your usual Gatekeeper point of contact.

Disclaimer
This article is for general information only. Forecasts and legislation may change and should not be relied upon as financial, legal, or professional advice. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy at the time of publication, no responsibility is accepted for errors or omissions. Readers should seek independent professional advice before making any decisions based on the information contained in this article.