A ban on landlords evicting their tenants without reason will come into force in just over six months’ time, ministers have announced.
Landlords will also be prevented from increasing rent more than once a year, while bidding wars between prospective tenants will be outlawed from May 1.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed insisted the Government was “calling time” on “rogue landlords” by initiating a raft of measures in the Renters’ Rights Act.
Ministers have set out a timeline for implementing the Act on Friday, with the aim of giving landlords and letting agents time to see through the changes for their tenants.
From next May, the first tranche of law changes will be introduced.
These include a ban on so-called “no-fault” section 21 evictions, as well as a ban on asking for more than one month’s rent in advance when a tenancy begins, and a halt to bidding wars between tenants.
Landlords will also no longer be able to discriminate against tenants for being on benefits or having children, and will not be able to unreasonably refuse requests from their tenants to own pets.
Housing Secretary Mr Reed said: “We’re calling time on no-fault evictions and rogue landlords. Everyone should have peace of mind and the security of a roof over their head – the law we’ve just passed delivers that.
“We’re now on a countdown of just months to that law coming in – so good landlords can get ready and bad landlords should clean up their act.”
Though the measures are aimed at bolstering legal protections for tenants, the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) was keen to insist that landlords will have stronger reasons for getting their properties back when needed as a result of the Act.
This includes when they want to sell up, if tenants are in rent arrears, or are engaging in anti-social behaviour.
Speaking to the Big Issue in an exclusive interview, Sir Keir Starmer insisted the Government believed the majority of landlords were reasonable and respectable.
He told the magazine: “Of course, the vast majority of landlords are respectable and reasonable, treating their tenants well and providing an important service.
“But it’s about time that we rebalanced the system to give renters more rights and more power in their homes. That’s exactly what this Act does.
“This generational uplift in renters’ rights is about putting more power into the hands of people who have had to stand for unfair behaviour for too long. By giving renters the rights, security and protections they deserve we’ll be able to prevent homelessness, put an end to unsafe housing and make sure people can live with dignity and without fear for the future.”
Other measures in the Act will come into force in two further phases, according to MHCLG.
The second phase will include the introduction of a new private landlord ombudsman to resolve complaints from tenants that their landlords do not address, without the need to go to court.
A database of private landlords and their properties will also be rolled out as part of the second phase, in late 2026.
Further measures to ensure private rented homes are of a good condition will then follow in a third phase of the Act’s rollout.
The news was welcomed by rental rights campaigners.
Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, described it as a “vital step towards re-balancing power between renters and landlords” and said it “should be celebrated”.
Tom Darling, director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “Today’s announcement that the end of section 21 evictions will come into force on May 1 is huge news for England’s 12 million renters.
“We have fought for this day for so long and to now have certainty about when the last ‘no-fault’ eviction will be is crucial for our members, who will be trying to ensure as many renters as possible are aware of their new rights.”
Sarah Elliott, chief executive of housing and homelessness charity Shelter, said: “For too long, renters have lived under the constant threat of no-fault evictions. Families have been torn from their communities, with record numbers pushed into homelessness. Too many have been silenced about discrimination and unsafe conditions. Today we celebrate that their voices have finally been heard, and change is on the way.
“But renters must understand that their rights will not change today. The current system remains in place until the new rights come into force from May 1 2026. Until then, we stand ready to support renters and help them understand the vital changes the Act will introduce.”
However, Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said the deadline alone to implement the changes is “not enough”.
He added: “We have argued consistently that landlords and property businesses need at least six months from the publication of regulations to ensure the sector is properly prepared for the biggest changes it has faced for over 40 years.
“Unless the Government urgently publishes all the guidance documents and written material needed to update tenancy agreements to reflect the changes to come, the plan will prove less a roadmap and more a path to inevitable failure.
“Without this landlords, tenants, agents, councils and the courts will be left without the information required to adapt, creating utter confusion at the very moment clarity is most needed.”
