Renters' Rights Act: eight jobs for room landlords

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (legislation.gov.uk) changed how most private tenancies in England work. The tenancy changes took effect on 1 May 2026 (GOV.UK housing hub), and more parts arrive over the next few years. If you let a house room by room, here are eight jobs to get on top of.

A quick caveat first: most of this applies to assured tenancies. If your tenants share a joint tenancy of a whole house, the rules apply to that one tenancy. If you let rooms in your own home to lodgers who share your living space, they're usually not assured tenants, so most of these rules don't apply to them; see lodger or tenant?.

1. Make sure every tenant has had the information sheet

For tenancies with a written agreement that already existed on 1 May 2026, landlords had to give each tenant named on the agreement a copy of the government's Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. It must be printed and handed over or posted, or sent as a PDF attachment, not a link, and missing the deadline can mean a fine of up to £7,000 (GOV.UK). Lodgers don't need it. If a tenancy was agreed only verbally, the tenant needed written information about its key terms instead (GOV.UK). If you missed anyone, give it now and talk to an adviser.

For every new tenancy since 1 May 2026, you must give the tenant written information about the key terms before you sign or agree the tenancy. It can be part of the tenancy agreement (GOV.UK).

2. Treat every tenancy as periodic

On 1 May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies, rolling from one rent period to the next with no end date (GOV.UK). Tenants can leave by giving two months' notice, ending on a rent day or the day before, and you can't ask for more (GOV.UK landlord guide). In a house let by the room, a tenant leaving one room doesn't end anyone else's tenancy. On a joint tenancy, one tenant's notice will usually end the tenancy for all of them. Update your templates: no fixed terms, no break clauses, no rent review clauses. Our periodic tenancies guide and tenancy agreement for a room cover the detail.

3. Plan one rent review a year per room

Rent for an assured tenancy can now go up only once a year, not in the first year of a tenancy, with at least two months' notice, using the section 13 process (GOV.UK landlord guide). For private lets the notice is Form 4A (GOV.UK), and GOV.UK says you need it even if the tenant has already agreed the increase. A tenant can ask the tribunal to decide the market rent, and they won't have to pay more than you proposed (guide to the Act). Pick a review month for each room and use our free rent increase date calculator to plan the dates. Full detail: rent increases after the Renters' Rights Act.

4. Stop taking rent months in advance

The guide to the Act says landlords can ask for up to one month's rent in advance (or 28 days' rent where the rent period is shorter than a month), and only once the tenancy agreement has been signed, before the tenancy starts (guide to the Act). Deposits still have their own rules and cap; see deposit protection.

5. Keep records as if you'll need them in court

With Section 21 gone, ending a tenancy means relying on a ground for possession and serving notice on Form 3A (GOV.UK). Moving in or selling needs four months' notice, which can't end within the first 12 months of a tenancy, and you then can't let or market the property until 12 months after the date in the notice. Serious rent arrears (ground 8) start at three months' rent (13 weeks if paid weekly or fortnightly) and need four weeks' notice (grounds for possession guidance). Either way, the court wants evidence: rent records, messages, inspection notes and photos. Read possession after Section 21.

6. Get ready for the PRS database

The new private rented sector database starts rolling out regionally from 15 December 2026, beginning in the West Midlands (GOV.UK housing hub). Other regions follow, and the government says there will be an annual fee, to be confirmed (roadmap). You'll register yourself and each property. Gather addresses, room counts, tenancy start dates, certificates and licences now. See the PRS landlord database: what to prepare.

7. Prepare for the landlord ombudsman

Private landlords will also have to join a landlord ombudsman. The government's roadmap expects joining to become compulsory in 2028. The guide to the Act says landlords who don't join could face penalties of up to £7,000, and up to £40,000 for continuing or repeated breaches (guide to the Act). A simple written complaints process and a log of what tenants report will help.

8. Check how you advertise and choose tenants

Since 1 May 2026 (GOV.UK housing hub), you must publish an asking rent and can't ask for or accept offers above it (rental bidding), it's illegal to discriminate against people on benefits or with children, and you mustn't unreasonably refuse a pet request (guide to the Act). Set a fair rent for each room up front (see how to price a room) and use the same criteria for every applicant.

Questions

Do I need to re-sign tenancy agreements? The guide to the Act says landlords won't need to change or re-issue existing written agreements; instead they give the information sheet. New tenancies should use updated terms.

Does this apply to my lodgers? Usually not. Lodgers who share your kitchen, bathroom or living room are generally excluded occupiers, not assured tenants (GOV.UK). See lodger or tenant?.

How Rentap helps

Rentap keeps each room's tenancy with its start date, rent period, rent history, deposit and tenancy agreement. When you change a room's rent, you choose when the new rent starts and can note the date you gave notice; Rentap warns that most increases need written notice, but it doesn't check the rules or fill in Form 4A for you. Rent due, payments and overdue amounts are tracked for every tenant (rent tracking), which is the record you'll want if you ever rely on a rent arrears ground.

New to the terms? See the letting terms glossary.

Sources

Last checked: 10 October 2026. This post is general information, not legal advice.