The Renters' Rights Act is now in force

Today is 1 May 2026. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 — the most significant change to English renting law in over 30 years — is now in force. Not coming soon. Not pending. In force, today, for every private renter in England.

The BBC has full coverage of what today means nationally. Here is what it means for you specifically.

Section 21 no longer exists

From today, your landlord cannot serve you a Section 21 notice. There is no transitional period, no workaround. The legal mechanism that allowed landlords to end tenancies without giving a reason has been removed from the statute book.

If you have been sitting on a repair complaint, a mould problem, or a dispute with your landlord because you feared being evicted in retaliation — that fear has a different legal weight today than it did yesterday. Your landlord can only ask you to leave if they can prove a specific ground to a court. "I want you gone" is no longer enough.

Awaab's Law now covers you

Awaab's Law — which until today applied only to social housing — now applies to every private landlord in England. If you formally notify your landlord of a damp or mould problem in writing, they must investigate within 14 days. If the hazard is serious, they must begin repairs within 7 days of confirming it.

If you have damp or mould and have not yet reported it in writing, today is the day to do that. The clock starts from your first written notification — an email is sufficient. Photograph everything before you send it.

The Ombudsman is open

Every private landlord in England is now required to be registered with the Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman. If your landlord fails to meet their obligations — ignores a repair, misses the Awaab's Law deadlines, attempts an unlawful eviction — you have a free, independent complaints route that does not require going to court.

Rights on paper and rights in practice

The law has changed. What has not changed is that evidence is still how you enforce your rights. A report you made verbally is harder to escalate than one you made in writing. A damp patch you photographed today is stronger evidence than one you describe from memory in three months.

If you have a property issue you have been putting off — report it today, in writing, with photographs. That is what starts the clock and creates the paper trail that any escalation depends on.