Tenants & landlords: The new Renters’ Rights Act - key things to know

From 1 May 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act will give those who rent their home stronger protections, fairer rules and greater security in where they live.

In Wirral these changes will affect tens of thousands of householders. The total stock of homes across the borough (in the last assessment) was 148,017, of which 66.4% were owner-occupied and 18.2% - approximately 27,000 - were private rented, with the remaining being in the social housing sector.

Now with the new law bringing big changes these are some of the key things to know about the new to rights and responsibilities for renters and landlords:

From May 2026:

• No more Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions can be issued from 1st May – landlords in the private rented sector won’t be able to evict tenants without a valid reason, and any attempts to use Section 21 after this will be unlawful. Existing notices issued prior to this are however still valid
• Goodbye to fixed contracts – all tenancies in the private rented sector will roll on from month to month or week to week (depending on your arrangement) with no end date, giving renters more flexibility. Tenants can end them with two months’ notice as well.
• Fairer rent rules – landlords can only raise rent once a year, and renters can challenge unfair hikes.
• No more bidding wars – landlords must stick to no more than the advertised rent price.
• One month’s rent upfront, max – landlords can’t ask for more.
• No discrimination – it’ll be illegal to refuse tenants just because they receive benefits or have kids.
• Pets welcome – renters can now ask to live with a pet and landlords must consider it fairly.
• Landlords will still be able to get their property back for clear reasons – like selling up, moving in, or dealing with rent arrears or anti-social behaviour. The changes aim to strike a fair balance between renters and landlords, making the system more stable, safer and easier to understand.
• Landlords should read up on the rules and sign up to official updates. You can see the government’s official guidance especially for landlords. Understanding the changes will help ensure you’re compliant from 1 May 2026, saving you time and money in the long run. We recommend you sign up here to receive updates from the government. 
• By 31 May 2026 ALL private landlords must provide all existing tenants with the official government Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet (available to download from here), or written tenancy terms where an agreement was previously verbal, and ensure their renting practices comply with the changes now in force. (Under the new legislation, councils are legally required to enforce these requirements, and where landlords fail to meet their obligations, Wirral Council must take formal action, which may include financial penalties.)

Later this year there will be more changes coming into effect:

• A Private Rented Sector Database: This is a register of all landlords and rental properties in England, so you can check who you’re renting from. The new online database will be rolled out gradually by area from late 2026, showing who is renting out homes across England. You’ll be able to check your landlord and see if they’re properly registered once it is live in the area you live.
• A free complaints service. The Private Landlord Ombudsman will be launched to help renters sort complaints against landlords quickly and fairly - without needing to go to court. It will create an independent person to resolve your complaints against your landlord quickly and fairly.

Progressing future plans - warmer and safer homes

The government is also continuing work to improve living conditions in privately rented homes. Consultations will inform their timelines.

New rules in the future will raise the standard of rented homes - tackling damp, mould and dangerous conditions. Landlords will need to fix serious hazards faster and make homes more energy efficient, helping tenants stay warm and cut bills. It will mean: 

• Quick landlord action to fix hazards. The government is looking to extend Awaab’s Law to private rentals (it is currently aimed at social landlords). This will require landlords to act fast when homes are unsafe. A consultation on how best to do this will be launched soon, so private tenants can benefit from protections like those already supporting social housing tenants.
• Greener homes by 2030. By 2030, it is planned to require all privately rented homes must meet new energy efficiency standards (EPC rating C or better), unless exempt. That means better insulation, lower bills and greener living.
• A new Decent Homes Standard for private rentals. For the first time, the government will introduce a Decent Homes Standard for privately rented homes - a clear set of rules to make sure every rented property is safe, warm and in good repair.

This new standard will help raise the bar across the board, giving renters confidence that their home meets basic safety and quality rules - and giving councils more power to crack down on landlords who don’t meet them.

To help people understand the new rights and responsibilities better, the government has published guidance to the Renters’ Rights Act; Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act - GOV.UK, as well as a roadmap on the new rules: Implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025: Our roadmap for reforming the private rented sector.

Further information on the changes and what they mean for both tenants and landlords can be found on the council’s website here: Guidance on the Renters’ Rights Act for tenants and landlords | wirral.gov.uk