Fixed-term tenancy contracts are being abolished. All tenancies in the private rented sector will now operate as periodic (rolling) tenancies, meaning there is no set end date to your agreement. You can stay in your home for as long as you need to, and when you are ready to leave, you simply give your landlord two months’ written notice. This removes the trap of being locked into a contract regardless of the property’s condition, and gives both tenants and landlords more flexibility when circumstances change.

Under the old rules, landlords could issue a Section 21 notice and force a tenant to leave without giving any reason at all. That power has now been abolished. Your landlord can only end your tenancy using specific legal grounds set out under Section 8, and must be able to demonstrate in court that the ground applies. Eviction without cause is no longer lawful.

When you move into a new rental home, you now have an additional layer of protection for the first year. During the initial 12 months of a tenancy, your landlord cannot evict you in order to sell the property or move in themselves. If they do need to use those grounds after that period, they must give you at least four months’ notice — more time than before to find somewhere new to live.

The grounds for possession under Section 8 have been tightened to give responsible tenants greater certainty. Where rent arrears are the reason for eviction, the mandatory threshold has been raised: your landlord can only pursue possession once you have fallen at least three months behind (or 13 weeks, if you pay rent weekly or fortnightly). The minimum notice period for rent arrears has also increased, from two weeks to four weeks, giving you more time to address any financial difficulty and remain in your home.

The Act does not introduce rent controls, but it does give tenants stronger protection against above-market increases being used as a way to push people out. Going forward, landlords can only increase the rent once per year, using a standard process called a ‘Section 13 notice’, with at least two months’ notice. If you believe the proposed increase is above the market rate for your area, you have the right to challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal. Importantly, the Tribunal cannot award a higher amount than the landlord originally proposed — so there is no risk in challenging an increase you think is unfair.

It is now illegal for landlords or letting agents to invite or accept offers above the advertised asking rent. Every rental property must have a published asking price, and that is the maximum that can be charged. This ends the practice of prospective tenants being pitted against each other in informal bidding wars.

Landlords and letting agents can no longer demand large sums of rent in advance before a tenancy starts. Once you have signed a tenancy agreement, a landlord can ask for up to one month’s rent before the tenancy begins — but no more. This protects prospective tenants from being priced out of properties by unreasonable upfront payment demands.

The Decent Homes Standard is being extended to the private rented sector for the first time. Landlords are legally required to ensure their properties are safe, free from serious hazards, and meet minimum standards of repair and condition. If your home falls below these standards, your local council has enforcement powers — including improvement notices and financial penalties — to compel the landlord to act.

Every private landlord in England is now required by law to join an approved Landlord Ombudsman scheme. The service is free for tenants to use and provides an independent, impartial and binding way to resolve complaints about your landlord’s conduct — without needing to go to court. The Ombudsman has the power to require landlords to apologise, take remedial action, or pay compensation.

Local councils now have stronger powers to enforce the new rules. For minor or first-time breaches, penalties of up to £7,000 can be issued. For serious, persistent or repeated non-compliance, the penalty rises to up to £40,000 — or landlords can face criminal prosecution with an unlimited fine. For the first time, councils can also issue civil penalties for illegal evictions without needing to take the case to court first.