Yes, the Renters' Rights Bill is happening and will become effective in 2025. As a result, agents shouldn't take a "wait and see" approach. Unlike the Renters Reform Bill, which was shelved by the Conservative Government after they called a snap election, the Renters' Rights Bill is a priority for the Labour Government, which has a large majority in the House of Commons. So not only will the Bill pass, it'll also pass with minimal amendments.

Per our dedicated Renters' Rights Bill blog, it's expected to pass Royal Assent and become law after Easter 2025. The Government has indicated that the Bill's commencement date will be more than two months after this, meaning it will likely become effective between July-October 2025. The Government sees both the abolition of Section 21 and the end of fixed-term tenancies as non-negotiable. While these reforms will be implemented as a priority, others may be staggered or delayed. 

The Government is expected to provide a slightly longer transition period than the standard two months after the Renters’ Rights Bill reaches Royal Assent and becomes law. However, the commencement date is unlikely to be much longer than three months after Royal Assent. On the commencement date, all ASTs will automatically convert into assured periodic tenancies, meaning no new Section 21 notices can be served.

If a Section 21 notice has been served before the Renters' Rights Bill is enacted, landlords will have up to two months after the commencement date to apply to the court, as long as the notice is still within its six-month validity period.

Court reforms aren’t planned before Section 21 is abolished, meaning it's that eviction notices will be significantly delayed. Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government), Labour, insisted in the second reading in the House of Lords that the Government is working closely with the Ministry of Justice to ensure that it’s prepared for the Bill’s impact. However, this has done little to allay the fears of industry experts. 

The Government has the power to dictate the format of tenancy agreements and is expected to introduce a new standardised agreement that incorporates elements of the current tenancy agreement and the "How to Rent" guide​. It's unclear whether existing tenancy agreements will need to be redrafted immediately, and there may be a grace period for transitioning to the new format​.

No, fixed-term tenancies will be abolished, and all tenancies will become periodic. This means tenants can immediately serve two months' notice when they enter a property, effectively making this the minimum tenancy period.

No. In the second reading of the Bill in the House of Lords on February 4, Baroness Taylor reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to abolishing fixed-term tenancies. The only wiggle room given to student landlords so far is the addition of Ground 4A in Section 8, and the fact that private, purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) won’t have to use periodic tenancies. 

It’s unclear whether landlords providing non-purpose-built accommodation to students will receive similar exemptions at this stage, and it’s at the Government’s discretion to accept any proposed amendments by the Lords.

Landlords will not be allowed to require more than one month’s rent in advance. Tenants can voluntarily pay in advance after the tenancy begins, but it cannot be a condition of the tenancy​. This may impact international students who traditionally pay large sums upfront to secure a property, the self-employed, people with poor credit ratings, and those with criminal histories or county court judgements (CCJs). Rent already paid in advance won’t need to be returned as long as it is paid before the law changes.

Yes, agents must hand over keys even if the first month’s rent hasn’t been paid. The new regulations require tenancy agreements to be signed before collecting rent, giving tenants legal rights to occupy the property regardless of payment. This means agents must release the keys even if rent hasn’t cleared, creating a risk of tenants moving in while in arrears. Although this aims to protect tenants from unfair practices, it increases financial risks for landlords and agents if tenants fail to pay on time.

When you’ve executed the agreement. For example, if the tenancy was signed and dated 10 days before a tenant moved in, you could take the first month’s rent.

The current tenancy deposit rules remain unchanged under the new system, meaning you can still take them in advance. Deposits must still be protected in approved schemes.

No, landlords won't be required to set annual rent increases at the outset of a tenancy. Rent increases must follow the Section 13 process, where the landlord gives the tenant notice of the increase, and the tenant has the right to challenge it before a tribunal​. You can serve a Section 13 notice up to four months in advance as long as the date the rent increase becomes effective isn't before the tenant has spent 12 months in the tenancy.

No. This is a key concern raised by members of the both the House of Commons, House of Lords and industry experts. There are genuine fears that tenants could be incentivised to appeal rent increases without proper safeguards, however these concerns currently remain unaddressed.

If a property is suitable for housing a pet and the tenant requests permission, a landlord won't have grounds to refuse. If the landlord refuses and the tenant brings the pet in anyway, an attempt to evict them for this reason would likely fail. Tenants can challenge refusals through redress schemes or courts​.

No, landlords can't charge pet fees under the Tenant Fees Act 2019. However, landlords can require tenants to take out pet insurance to cover potential damages​.

As fixed-term tenancies are being abolished, you can't charge renewal fees. Instead, you should think about revising your fee structures and communicating these changes to landlords ahead of time​. Charging for Section 13 notices is another potential avenue you can explore to replace renewal revenue, as is offering a Rent Protection and Legal ExpensesP service.

In most cases, corporate tenancies will be unaffected by the Bill.