What is the Renters' Rights Act?

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the biggest reform to private renting in England in over 30 years. It came into force on 1 May 2026 and made several major changes:

• Section 21 "no-fault" evictions are abolished. Landlords can no longer end a tenancy without giving a legal reason.
• Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) no longer exist for new lettings - all tenancies are now Assured Periodic Tenancies, with no fixed term.
• Fixed-term tenancies are no longer available - periodic (rolling) tenancies are now the only model.
• Section 8 is now the only route to eviction, with amended and expanded grounds for landlords.
• Landlords must give tenants a copy of the official Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet.

Key dates: the last date a landlord could serve a new Section 21 notice was 30 April 2026. 31 July 2026 was the deadline for landlords to start court proceedings on any notice already served - after that date, old Section 21 notices are void.

What this means for you as a flatsharer: if you signed your tenancy before 1 May 2026, it automatically converted to a periodic tenancy on that date, even if you didn't sign anything new. You now have significantly stronger protection against being asked to leave without a proper reason.