The Renters Rights Act has completed its journey through Parliament and received Royal Assent on 2 October.  It has important implications for the private rented sector, for housing associations and for local authorities in relation to non-HRA homes they have let on assured shorthand tenancies.  The Government has published an implementation Road Map setting out the timetable for implementation.

For the private rented sector, all existing assured shorthold tenancies will become assured tenancies on 1 May 2026, except for those that have live section 21 proceedings at court or a valid section 21 notice has already been served and the time to commence proceedings has not ended.  

For social housing tenancies, the commencement date will be later, because the Government will need to update directions to the Regulator of Social Housing, so they can update the Tenancy Standard. Revision of the Tenancy Standard will require prior consultation with registered providers.

In either case, after the new provisions come into force existing fixed-term tenancies will automatically be converted to periodic tenancies, and landlords won’t be able to serve new Section 21 notices to evict tenants, regardless of the wording of the tenancy agreement. Registered providers of social housing will not have to change existing tenancy agreements but will have to inform tenants of their new rights and security of tenure.