The Renters' Rights Act Compliance Check: Are You Actually Up to Date?

Several months into the Renters' Rights Act, a lot of landlords are quietly unsure of one thing: is my day-to-day process actually compliant now? The headline change — the end of Section 21 — got all the attention, but a cluster of smaller, in-force rules changed how you advertise, price, and run a tenancy, and it's easy to still be doing something the old way without realising. This is a plain-English self-check: run through each item, and if any gives you pause, follow the link to the detail and fix it. It's general guidance, not legal advice — confirm anything specific on GOV.UK.

What's already in force

Since spring 2026, the core of the Act applies to essentially all tenancies: assured shorthold tenancies have given way to periodic (rolling) tenancies, Section 21 "no-fault" eviction is gone, and possession now runs through Section 8 grounds and evidence. That's the backdrop. The compliance risk sits in the everyday rules layered on top — which is where the self-check comes in. This check covers the Act itself; for every other duty a landlord carries — safety certificates, the deposit, licensing, the PRS Database and more — see the complete landlord compliance checklist.

The self-check

Go through these one by one. A "no" or "not sure" on any is worth fixing this week:

• Tenancies periodic, no reliance on Section 21. Your plan for regaining a property is built around Section 8 grounds and evidence, not a no-fault notice.
• Rent increased no more than once a year, the right way. You use the correct statutory notice with the proper notice period, and could justify the figure at tribunal if challenged.
• No rental bidding. You advertise a set rent and don't invite or accept offers above it.
• No large upfront-rent demands. You're not asking for months of rent in advance — and you know how that has shifted risk onto referencing and guarantors.
• A proper pet-request process. You don't apply a blanket "no pets," and you respond to requests in writing with reasons — see what you can and can't do on pets.
• No unlawful discrimination. You don't refuse or penalise tenants for having children or receiving benefits.
• The tenant information sheet served. Landlords were required to give existing tenants the government's Information Sheet (or a written Statement of Terms) by 31 May 2026, and new tenants should get it too — the deadline has passed but the duty hasn't, so check you did and serve it now if not.
• Certificates in date and register-ready. Gas, electrical, EPC and alarms current, so you're ready for the PRS database when it reaches your region.

Where landlords most often slip

Three patterns come up again and again. The first is habit: advertising or pricing the way you always did — inviting a bit of a bidding war, or asking a thin-file tenant for six months upfront — both of which are now off-limits. The second is the rent-increase routine: raising rent more than once a year, or on the wrong notice, which makes the increase invalid. The third is paperwork you can't produce — the information sheet you're not sure you served, or a certificate you can't lay hands on. None of these is hard to fix; they just need noticing, which is exactly what a periodic self-check is for.

What to do now

1. Run the checklist above against each tenancy, and mark anything that's a "not sure."
2. Fix the process, not just the instance — update your advert templates, your rent-review diary, and your tenant-onboarding steps so the gap doesn't recur.
3. Serve anything outstanding — if the information sheet is in doubt, sort it, and keep proof.
4. Get your certificates in one place so "register-ready" is a state you're already in, not a scramble later.
5. Re-check GOV.UK for the current detail on any rule you're unsure about, and take advice on anything contested.

For the bigger picture of what's landed and what's still coming, our Renters' Rights Act timeline maps the phases, and the rules already in force post goes deeper on the day-to-day changes. The thread through all of it is the same: the landlord who runs a clean, documented process doesn't just stay compliant — they're the one who can prove it. And with tens of thousands of landlords leaving the market, staying compliant is exactly what keeps you lettable while others exit.

General guidance for UK landlords, not legal advice. The Renters' Rights Act rules, the required tenant information, notice periods and forms are set by government and can change — always verify the current requirements at GOV.UK and take professional advice on your specific situation.