The Renters’ Rights Bill will create a new tenancy system that eliminates section 21 evictions, providing tenants the ability to challenge poor practices without fear of eviction.

This system will also simplify regulations for landlords and clarify possession grounds.

Currently, the private rented sector offers the least affordable and lowest quality housing, leaving millions of tenants in England vulnerable to sudden eviction and forcing some to endure substandard living conditions to avoid this.

How will a landlord regain possession in future? 

• The Renters’ Rights Bill will abolish section 21 evictions, meaning landlords must instead use a section 8 ground for possession – these are specific circumstances in which a landlord can regain possession. 
• The bill will ensure landlords enjoy robust grounds for possession. The grounds for possession are outlined at the bottom of this article and cover all circumstances when it is reasonable for a landlord to take their property back.
• To regain possession, landlords will serve notice in the prescribed form, giving at least the required notice period to the tenant. As in the current system, landlords will need to go to court if a tenant does not leave and provide evidence that the ground applies.

Periodic tenancies

The Renters’ Rights Bill will eliminate fixed term assured tenancies. Fixed term tenancies require renters to pay rent even if the property is not up to standard and limit their ability to move due to changing situations, like after a relationship breakdown, starting a new job. Instead, all tenancies will become periodic, allowing tenants to remain in their homes until they choose to end the tenancy with two months’ notice. This change will prevent tenants from being forced to pay rent for substandard properties.

Grounds for possession

Responsible landlords who offer quality homes should have strong grounds for reclaiming their properties when justified. Landlords must still go through the courts if a tenant does not vacate, providing evidence to support their case. If a landlord has their property fully managed by a letting agent then their property management team will attend court and provide evidence on the landlords behalf.

For mandatory grounds, possession will be granted if proven; for discretionary grounds, the court will assess the reasonableness of eviction even if the grounds are met. If a tenant is at fault, landlords can issue notice at any time during the tenancy for issues like antisocial behaviour, property damage, or significant rent arrears.

The bill also strengthens landlords’ rights to reclaim properties when necessary, such as for selling or moving in. Tenants will have a 12-month protected period at the start of a tenancy, during which they cannot be evicted for these reasons. Landlords will need to provide four months’ notice for such actions, allowing tenants more time to find new homes and reducing the risk of sudden displacement.

Rent increases

Going forward, all rent increases will follow a standard process. Landlords can raise rents once a year to match the market rate, which is the price the property would fetch if newly advertised. They must provide a simple ‘section 13′ notice with at least two months’ notice before the increase takes effect. If tenants believe the increase is above market rate, they can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal, which will establish the appropriate market rent.

Private rented sector landlord ombudsman

The government will establish a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman Service, mandatory for all private landlords in England with assured or regulated tenancies, including those using managing agents. Tenants can use this free service to file complaints about landlords, who must comply with binding resolutions that may include apologies, information provision, remedial actions, or compensation. 

The service will also help landlords resolve tenant complaints efficiently and provide guidance on improving complaint handling. Local councils will enforce compliance, imposing civil penalties for landlords who fail to register or market unregistered properties, with fines up to £7,000 for initial breaches and up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution for repeated violations. Tenants can seek rent repayment orders if landlords persistently avoid joining the ombudsman service. Landlords must adhere to ombudsman decisions, with non-compliance leading to expulsion from the scheme and potential enforcement actions, although they can rejoin if they rectify their compliance issues.

Private rented sector database 

The Renters’ Rights Bill will create a new Private Rented Sector Database, requiring all landlords of assured and regulated tenancies to register their properties. Penalties may apply for marketing or renting out unregistered properties. 

This database will serve as a central resource for landlords, offering guidance and ensuring they understand their obligations. It will also keep them updated on any changes to requirements. For tenants, the database will enhance transparency, helping them make informed decisions and know when to escalate issues to local councils or the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman.

Additionally, local councils will benefit from improved data on private rented properties, making it easier to identify poor-quality and non-compliant landlords, allowing them to focus on enforcement efforts.

Renting with pets 

The Renters’ Rights Bill will prevent landlords from unreasonably denying consent when a tenant requests to have a pet, allowing tenants to challenge unfair decisions.

Understanding some landlords’ concerns about potential pet-related damage, the Bill will permit landlords to require insurance for pet damage from tenants. This ensures landlords can address any damage caused by pets, placing the responsibility for prevention and resolution on the tenant.

Grounds for possession

	Ground	Summary	Notice period
Mandatory grounds
1	Occupation by landlord or family	The landlord or their close family member wishes to move into the property. Cannot be used for the first 12 months of a new tenancy.	4 months
1A	Sale of dwelling-house	The landlord wishes to sell the property. Cannot be used for the first 12 months of a new tenancy.	4 months
1B	Sale of dwelling-house under rent-to-buy	The landlord is a private registered provider of social housing and the tenancy is under a rent-to-buy agreement.	4 months
2	Sale by mortgagee	The property is subject to a mortgage and the lender exercises a power of sale requiring vacant possession.	4 months
2ZA	Possession when superior lease ends	The landlord’s lease is under a superior tenancy that is ending. Can only be used by private registered providers of social housing, agricultural landlords, a person who held the dwelling for the purposes of making it supported accommodation or a company majority owned by a local authority.	4 months
2ZB	Possession when superior lease ends	The landlord’s lease is under a superior tenancy that is coming to an end or has ended. Can only be used if the superior lease was for a fixed term of over 21 years.	4 months
2ZC	Possession by superior landlord	After a superior tenancy ends, the superior landlord becomes the tenant’s direct landlord and seeks to take possession. Can only be used where the intermediate landlord prior to reversion was a private registered provider of social housing, agricultural landlord, a person who held the dwelling for the purposes of making it supported accommodation or a company majority owned by a local authority.	4 months
2ZD	Possession by superior landlord	After a superior tenancy ends, the superior landlord becomes the tenant’s direct landlord and seeks to take possession. Can only be used where the superior lease was for a fixed period of over 21 years and has expired, or within a 12 month period of the fixed term expiry date, if the fixed term has been ended early. Or if the superior tenancy comes to an end after the expiry of the fixed term as a result of a valid notice.	4 months
4	Student accommodation	In the 12 months prior to the start of the tenancy, the property was let to students. Can only be used by specified educational establishments.	2 weeks
4A	Properties rented to students for occupation by new students	A HMO is let to full-time students and is required for a new group of students in line with the academic year. Cannot be used if the tenancy was agreed more than 6 months in advance of the tenancy starting (i.e. the tenant moving in).	4 months
5	Ministers of religion	The property is held for use by a minister of religion to perform the duties of their office and is required for occupation by a minister of religion.	2 months
5A	Occupation by agricultural worker	The landlord requires possession to house someone who will be employed by them as an agricultural worker.	2 months
5B	Occupation by person who meets employment requirements	A private registered provider of social housing holds the property for use by tenants meeting requirements connected with their employment and it is required for that purpose (and the current tenant does not fulfil those requirements).	2 months
5C	End of employment by the landlord	Previously ground 16 (expanded). The dwelling was let as a result of the tenant’s employment by the landlord and the employment has come to an end OR the tenancy was not meant to last the duration of the employment and the dwelling is required by a new employee.	2 months
5D	End of employment requirements	A private registered provider of social housing, included an employment requirement in the tenancy agreement that the tenant no longer fulfils (e.g., key worker).	2 months
5E	Occupation as supported accommodation	The property is held for use as supported accommodation and the current tenant did not enter the tenancy for the purpose of receiving care, support or supervision.	4 weeks
5F	Dwelling-house occupied as supported accommodation	The tenancy is for supported accommodation and one of the circumstances set out in the ground, making the accommodation no longer viable or suitable for that tenant, has occurred.	4 weeks
5G	Tenancy granted for homelessness duty	The property has been used as temporary accommodation for a homeless household, under s193 of the Housing Act 1996, and a local housing authority has notified the landlord that the tenancy is no longer required for that purpose. The landlord can only use this ground if within 12 months of the date of the notice from the local housing authority.	4 weeks
5H	Occupation as ‘stepping stone accommodation’	A registered provider of social housing or a charity lets to a tenant meeting eligibility criteria (e.g., under a certain age) at “affordable rent”, to help them access the private rented sector and/or transition to living independently, and the tenant no longer meets the eligibility criteria, or a limited period has come to an end.	2 months
6	Redevelopment	The landlord wishes to demolish or substantially redevelop the property which cannot be done with the tenant in situ. Various time limits and/or notice requirements exist for this ground depending on the circumstances. The landlord and tenancy must be of the kind listed in the table. A relevant social landlord who intends to carry out redevelopment work and seeks possession on Ground 6 either through case A or B will need to provide alternative accommodation that meets specific conditions set out in case A or B and is either available or will be available when an order for possession takes effect.	4 months
6A	Decant Accomodation	The tenant has been provided with alternative accommodation by a relevant social landlord while redevelopment affecting the tenant’s original home is carried out.	4 months
6B	Compliance with enforcement action	The landlord is subject to enforcement action and needs to regain possession to become compliant. Under this ground, the court will be allowed to require the landlord to pay compensation to the tenant when ordering possession.	4 months
7	Death of tenant	The tenancy was passed on by will or intestacy, and proceedings began within the requisite period of 12 months. The ground can only be used if the new tenant wasn’t living in the property immediately before the previous tenant died, the previous tenant also inherited the tenancy or it is a “special tenancy”, e.g. supported accommodation.	2 months
7A	Severe ASB/Criminal Behaviour	The tenant has been convicted of a type of offence listed in the ground, has breached a relevant order put in place to prevent anti-social behaviour or there is a closure order in place prohibiting access for a continuous period of more than 48 hours.	Landlords can begin proceedings immediately
7B	No right to rent	At least one of the tenants has no right to rent under immigration law as a result of their immigration status and the Secretary of State has given notice to the landlord of this.	2 weeks
8	Rent arrears	The tenant has at least 3 months’ (or 13 weeks’ if rent is paid weekly or fortnightly) rent arrears both at the time notice is served and at the time of the possession hearing.	4 weeks
Discretionary grounds
9	Suitable alternative accommodation	Suitable alternative accommodation is available for the tenant	2 months
10	Any rent arrears	The tenant is in any amount of arrears	4 weeks
11	Persistent arrears	The tenant has persistently delayed paying their rent,	4 weeks
12	Breach of tenancy	The tenant is guilty of breaching one of the terms of their tenancy agreement (other than the paying of rent).	2 weeks
13	Deterioration of property	The tenant has caused the condition of the property to deteriorate.	2 weeks
14	Anti-social behaviour	The tenant or anyone living in or visiting the property has been guilty of behaviour causing, or likely to cause, nuisance or annoyance to the landlord, a person employed in connection with housing management functions, or anyone living in, visiting or in the locality of the property. Or the tenant or a person living or visiting the property has been convicted of using the premises for illegal/immoral purposes, or has been convicted of an indictable offence in the locality.	Landlords can begin proceedings immediately
14A	Domestic Abuse	A social landlord wishes to evict the perpetrator of domestic violence if the partner has fled and is unlikely to return.	2 weeks
14ZA	Rioting	The tenant or another adult living at the property has been convicted of an indictable offence which took place at a riot in the UK.	2 weeks
15	Deterioration of furniture	The tenant has caused the condition of the furniture to deteriorate.	2 weeks
17	False statement	The tenancy was granted due to a false statement made knowingly or recklessly by the tenant or someone acting on their instigation.	2 weeks
18	Supported accommodation	The tenancy is for supported accommodation and the tenant is refusing to engage with the support.	4 weeks