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The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 came into force on 1 May 2026. It represents the most significant overhaul of residential landlord and tenant law in England in more than thirty years — and for Sussex landlords, understanding what has changed, what is still to come, and what it means in practice is no longer optional.
This guide sets out the key changes clearly. It does not replace legal advice, but it should give every landlord in Sussex a working understanding of where things stand today.
The most significant change — and the one that has been discussed for longer than any other — is the abolition of Section 21 no-fault evictions. From 1 May 2026, landlords can no longer serve a Section 21 notice. Any notice served on or after that date is unlawful.
For landlords who served a valid Section 21 notice before 30 April 2026, a transitional period applies. Court proceedings must have begun by 31 July 2026 for those notices to remain effective.
For everyone else, Section 8 is now the only statutory route to possession.
Section 8 has been substantially revised. There are now 37 grounds for possession — a mixture of mandatory grounds (where the court must grant possession if the ground is proven) and discretionary grounds (where the court decides whether possession is reasonable).
The grounds most relevant to Sussex landlords managing residential portfolios include:
Ground 8 — rent arrears (mandatory): The threshold has increased. At least three months’ rent must be outstanding both at the date of the Section 8 notice and at the hearing, up from two months previously. If a tenant is in arrears due to a delayed Universal Credit payment they are entitled to, landlords have no recourse under this ground until the delay is resolved.
Ground 1A — landlord intends to sell (mandatory): A new mandatory ground. If a landlord wishes to sell a property, four months’ notice is required. This ground cannot be used in the first twelve months of a tenancy.
Ground 1 — landlord or family member wishes to occupy (mandatory): Similarly requires four months’ notice and cannot be used in the first twelve months of a tenancy.
Ground 7A — anti-social behaviour conviction: Remains a mandatory ground for serious cases, with the ability to serve notice immediately where a criminal conviction exists.
There is one further administrative point worth noting immediately: from 1 September 2026, landlords must be registered on the new Private Rented Sector Database before serving any Section 8 notice. Notices served by unregistered landlords after that date may be invalidated. The database launch is expected to be phased by region from late 2026.
From 1 May 2026, all new assured tenancies must be periodic from the outset. Fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies cannot be granted. All existing tenancies automatically converted to periodic assured tenancies on 1 May 2026, regardless of what the original agreement said.
This has a practical implication for portfolio landlords: any rent review clauses in existing tenancy agreements became void at the same time. Rent can now only be increased using the formal Section 13 process.
Landlords are restricted to one rent increase per twelve months. Any increase must be served using a Section 13 notice, with a minimum of two months’ notice before the increase takes effect.
Any rent review clauses in existing tenancy agreements are now void. This means increases agreed informally with tenants — even where both parties agree — are not legally enforceable. The Section 13 process is the only route.
Tenants have the right to challenge any increase they consider above market rate at the First-tier Tribunal, including challenges to the starting rent in the early months of a tenancy.
For portfolio landlords, keeping rent benchmarked against current market rates is now more important than ever. If you have not reviewed your rents recently, there is a real risk that when you do seek to increase, you will face a tribunal challenge that could limit the uplift you can achieve. An experienced agent who monitors the local Sussex market continuously is worth a great deal in this environment.
All landlords with existing assured or assured shorthold tenancies were required to provide tenants with the government’s Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026. The penalty for non-compliance is a fine of up to £7,000 per tenancy.
If you manage your own properties and have not yet provided this document to every named tenant, this is an urgent matter. If your properties are managed by a letting agent, the obligation also applies to them — though if there is any doubt, it is worth confirming with your agent that this has been done and that proof of service has been retained.
Tenants now have an implied right to request a pet. Landlords must respond to any such request within 28 days, and any refusal must be supported by a valid reason — blanket no-pets policies are no longer permitted.
Where consent is given, landlords may require the tenant to hold appropriate pet insurance as a condition, which is a reasonable protection for the property.
Landlords and letting agents may no longer discriminate against applicants because they have children or are in receipt of benefits. Any referencing process or applicant selection criteria that applies blanket exclusions on these grounds is now unlawful. Decisions must be made on an individual basis and should be documented.
The Act is being implemented in phases. The changes described above are now in force, but several significant measures are still to arrive:
The Private Rented Sector Database — requiring landlords to register themselves, their properties and compliance information — is expected to launch in a phased regional rollout from late 2026. Registration will be a prerequisite for using certain Section 8 grounds from 1 September 2026.
A PRS Landlord Ombudsman — providing binding redress for tenant complaints — is being established. Mandatory sign-up for landlords is expected around 2028.
A Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector is also in development, with implementation dates still to be confirmed.
The changes coming are not trivial. Landlords who are preparing now — rather than reacting as each phase arrives — will be significantly better placed.
The regulatory environment for landlords has shifted fundamentally. The tools that many landlords have relied on for decades — fixed-term tenancies, Section 21, informal rent review clauses — are gone. What remains requires more process, more documentation and more active management.
For landlords managing their own properties, the obligations are considerable. For those working with an agent, the question is whether that agent genuinely understands the new landscape — and is managing your properties accordingly.
At Portello, compliance is not an afterthought. We work closely with landlords across Sussex to ensure that every property we manage is meeting its current obligations and is prepared for what is still to come. If you are uncertain whether your agent is managing the Renters’ Rights Act changes proactively on your behalf — or if you are managing your own portfolio and would like experienced guidance — we would be glad to have a conversation.
There is no obligation, and no pressure. Just an honest discussion about your situation and what good management looks like now.
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If you found this article useful, you may also want to read about switching letting agent in Sussex — a process that is more straightforward than most landlords expect.
Note: This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have specific questions about how the Renters’ Rights Act affects your tenancies, we recommend speaking with a qualified solicitor.
If you are considering your next move, we would be pleased to advise.
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