The common minimum six or 12-month commitments have disappeared, and tenants are able to give two months’ notice at any point. It is mandatory to have written terms, so if you don’t currently have a physical tenancy agreement, you will need to issue these by 31st May.

Landlords have lost the ability to give a tenant two months’ notice without giving a reason. The only legal way to end a tenancy is to issue a Section 8 notice stating a valid ground.

If you evict a tenant using ground 1A because you wish to sell, this cannot be used within the first 12 months of a tenancy, and you cannot re-let the property within 12 months of the expiry of the notice. So, if you might want or need to sell at some point, this will require more careful planning.

Landlords face stricter notice periods and clearer grounds for possession now. With the revised rent arrears ground (8) requiring the tenant to be 3 months in arrears before notice can be given, and the notice period doubling from 2 weeks to 4 weeks, it is going to take longer to evict a non-paying tenant, so you may want to increase your cash reserves.

In January 2026, the government published a policy statement creating a single, modern quality benchmark for both the social and private rented sectors, which will be enforced for the PRS by 2035. There will be stronger rules on damp, mould, and insulation, and increased penalties for non-compliance.

Landlords are no longer able to have blanket bans on tenants with children or in receipt of benefits. It is also illegal to accept a higher rent than the amount advertised and to encourage ‘bidding wars’ between tenants.

Landlords can’t refuse pets without a valid reason but do be aware that there are still reasons, such as the type of property being too small or unsuitable for the type of pet. Pet damage insurance has become a permitted payment under the Tenant Fees Act, so you can ask your tenant to either take it out themselves or cover your costs but note that there is no legal obligation on them to pay.

The PRS Database will require all landlords in England to register, listing details of every property they let. The aim is to give local authorities and tenants a single source of information about who owns and manages each rental property. It will also create a clear route for enforcement, as landlords who fail to register will be unable to legally let their properties. A regional rollout of the database is expected to begin late 2026 and continue into 2027/2028.