Landlords in the UK are tightening tenant referencing and affordability checks following the introduction of UK’s Renters’ Rights Act, while many remain unaware of the new landlord registration requirements due to be introduced later this year.
A survey of 276 landlords by property management platform August found that 39% had tightened their referencing or affordability checks since the main provisions of the legislation took effect on 1 May 2026. A further 32% said they had started asking prospective tenants for a guarantor when they had not previously done so.
The findings suggest that some landlords are changing how they assess prospective tenants as the rules governing private renting change.
However, the survey represents the views of landlords who responded to August’s research, rather than the entire UK rental sector. The Renters’ Rights Act reforms discussed in the survey apply to England.
Landlords become more cautious about tenant applications
The survey found that almost four in ten respondents had strengthened their checks on prospective tenants, including their ability to afford the rent.
Guarantors have also become more common. Around one-third of the landlords surveyed said they now request a guarantor where they did not previously.
A guarantor is someone who agrees to meet specified rental obligations if the tenant fails to do so.
Landlords may seek one when they have concerns about an applicant’s income, credit history or ability to meet rental payments.
The changes could create additional difficulties for some prospective tenants, particularly people with irregular earnings or limited credit histories who may struggle to provide a guarantor.
However, the survey does not establish how frequently these requirements are being applied across England or how many applicants have been refused accommodation as a result.
Landlords divided over whether to sell or expand
The research does not suggest that all landlords are preparing to leave the rental market.
Of those surveyed, 29% said they planned to reduce their property portfolios or sell their investments over the following two years. Meanwhile, 34% intended to expand their portfolios, while another 29% expected to maintain their existing holdings.
The findings show different responses to the changing rental environment, with some landlords planning to reduce their exposure while others intend to invest further.
The 29% planning to shrink their portfolios or sell is also below the 31% recorded in the UK government’s English Private Landlord Survey 2024, which was conducted before the Renters’ Rights Act took effect.
The two surveys have different samples and methodologies, so the figures should not be treated as a direct measurement of how landlord intentions have changed. Nevertheless, the August results do not support the conclusion that landlords are uniformly preparing to exit the sector.
Many landlords unaware of the new registration database
Awareness of the forthcoming landlord registration system was another significant finding.
Only 23% of respondents said they knew about the requirement to register on the new database, leaving more than three-quarters unaware of it at the time of the survey.
The UK government plans to introduce a national Private Rented Sector Database, beginning with a regional rollout in England from 15 December 2026.
Landlords will be required to register themselves and their rental properties as the scheme is introduced in their areas.
The database is intended to improve transparency, help tenants access information about rental properties and give local authorities better information for enforcing housing standards and landlord obligations.
The rollout will take place in stages rather than requiring every landlord to register on the same day. The government has said all landlords actively letting property must have registered by 14 November 2027.
The survey results indicate that communication about the new requirements will be important as the registration process approaches. Landlords will need to understand when registration applies to their properties and what information they must provide.
Tenants are also using their new rights
The August survey found that 32% of respondents had experienced a complaint referred to a deposit protection scheme, a local council or an ombudsman.
Other reported experiences included requests from tenants to keep pets, cited by 28% of landlords; challenges to or refusals of rent increases, reported by 26%; and tenants giving notice under the new rules, reported by 23%.
These figures reflect experiences reported by the participating landlords. They do not establish the overall frequency of disputes or prove that the legislation caused each incident.
They nevertheless illustrate the range of issues landlords say they are managing as the new framework takes effect.
What the findings mean for renters in England
For people looking for a home, tighter referencing and more frequent requests for guarantors could make the application process more demanding in some parts of the private rental market.
Applicants may need to prepare evidence of income, employment and affordability, depending on the landlord’s requirements. However, landlords must still comply with the law when assessing applicants and cannot apply unlawful discriminatory criteria.
The government’s reforms are intended to strengthen tenants’ rights and improve accountability in the private rental sector. The August survey captures how a group of landlords say they are responding, but it does not establish the overall effect of the legislation on rents, the availability of homes or the number of tenants securing accommodation.
The balance between effective tenant protections and access to rental housing will therefore remain an important issue as the reforms and the new registration system develop.
Sources: August Landlord Survey 2026 and its published methodology; UK Government guidance on the Renters’ Rights Act and Private Rented Sector Database.
