Major Reforms Set to Transform Renting
England will ban no-fault evictions from 1 May under a comprehensive package of reforms designed to strengthen the rights of millions of renters.
The announcement forms part of the Renters’ Rights Act, which the government says will deliver the most significant changes to the sector in decades.
Fixed-term tenancy agreements will be abolished, with all renters moving to rolling contracts intended to offer greater stability and flexibility.
Ministers have also confirmed that bidding wars on rental properties will be outlawed, amid concerns that the practice has pushed prices beyond what many tenants can afford.
Clearer rules on renting with pets will also be introduced, with guidance aimed at reducing disputes and refusals from landlords.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the government was “calling time on rogue landlords” and moving to protect tenants from unfair practices.
The reforms come after growing reports of households being issued with section 21 notices, sometimes without explanation, despite the government’s pledge to abolish them.
In Hackney, east London, ten households living in properties owned by the same landlord said they had recently received no-fault eviction notices.
One of the tenants, who did not want to be named, said she was “really panicking” after receiving her notice.
She said it had taken between three and four months to find a home last year, and the fear of restarting that process was “overwhelming”.
Concerns about housing conditions have also persisted, with photographs showing extensive mould in a Cambridgeshire flat reported by a tenant named Kerrie.
Landlord Concerns and Legal Safeguards
The government confirmed that section 21 notices issued before 1 May will remain valid, but landlords must begin court repossession proceedings by 31 July 2026.
From May, landlords will only be able to remove tenants in defined circumstances, including property damage, antisocial behaviour or substantial rent arrears.
They will also be allowed to repossess a property if they intend to sell it or move into it, although not within the first 12 months of a tenancy.
Some landlords have criticised the changes, claiming they create uncertainty for those trying to manage difficult or non-compliant tenants.
Maureen Treadwell, a landlord from Hampshire whose family lets out 10 properties, said the new system felt “anti-landlord” and carried “draconian fines”.
She warned that without faster court processes, many landlords may leave the sector, which she believes could worsen the housing crisis.
Reed said his department was working with the Ministry of Justice to ensure “there are not undue delays” when landlords need to pursue eviction for legitimate reasons.
Renters’ Groups Welcome Long-Awaited Overhaul
Renters’ organisations have welcomed the overhaul, saying it will help address instability and rising homelessness linked to no-fault evictions.
The Renters Reform Coalition, which includes Shelter, Generation Rent and Citizens Advice, described section 21 as “a huge issue” affecting thousands of families.
Shelter’s Mairi MacRae said the “gross injustice” of no-fault evictions, not stronger tenant protections, was fuelling record levels of homelessness.
The new legislation applies only to England, with Scotland having already abolished no-fault evictions in 2017.
Wales and Northern Ireland still operate similar mechanisms, though Wales increased the minimum notice period for tenants to six months in 2022.
