MHCLG is consulting on a proposed Direction to the Regulator of Social Housing whose main purpose is to reflect the reforms to the assured tenancy framework effected by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, including the abolition of assured shorthold tenancies and section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.  These reforms will primarily impact on Private Registered Providers, as local authority-owned social housing is let on secure tenancies which are unaffected by the new Act.  However, the Direction also proposes to bring non-HRA local authority-owned social homes within the scope of the Tenancy Standard, from which they are currently exempted.  This is in consequence of the recent decision to increase the number of social homes a local authority can own without operating an HRA to 1000.

Consultation on the Direction closes on 28 May; the Government intends to bring the new Standard into force from October 2026.