Renter’s Rights

From 1st May 2026 renters across the country will be better protected in their homes.

Some of the key changes are…

Evictions.
For years, Section 21 allowed landlords to evict tenants without giving a reason.

This has forced people out of their homes with little notice and no way of challenging unfair decisions.

These have often been used in retaliation for complaints from renters about the condition of their homes, or to get in people who could afford to pay higher rents.

“No fault” evictions (Section 21) are now being abolished.

Your landlord can still evict you, but must now provide a valid legal reason, giving a longer notice period.

Some eviction grounds (like selling or moving in) cannot be used in the first 12 months of your tenancy.

Tenancy Agreements.
Fixed-term contracts that lock tenants in – or leave them vulnerable at the end – are being replaced by open-ended tenancies.

This will mean more flexibility and more security for renters. Tenancies will not end automatically, but will continue until you choose to leave or your landlord has a legal reason to end it. You can leave at any time by giving 2 months’ notice.

Rent increases & rent repayment.
Instead of sudden, unfair hikes, rent increases will be more regulated, with stricter rules and better routes for renters to challenge them.

Landlords will only be able to put rents up once a year, and this will require issuing a formal notice at least two months in advance.

Tenants will have more power to push back against unfair hikes, and will be able to challenge these at tribunal. If you do this, your rent will be assessed against local market rates, and the tribunal cannot raise your rent above what your landlord proposed as it currently can.

You can now apply for a Rent Repayment Order (RRO) in more situations, and you may be able to reclaim up to 2 years of rent if your landlord breaks the law. Local councils can also issue stronger penalties to rule breaking landlords.

Bidding wars & rent upfront.
Bidding wars, where tenants are encouraged to bid against each other above the advertised rate for a rental home, will be banned.

All homes advertised for rent will have to have a published asking rent, and landlords and agents are not allowed to ask for or accept any more than this.

Landlords and agents will not be allowed to ask for more than 1 month’s rent in advance.

Outlawing discrimination.
Landlords and agents will be explicitly banned from refusing tenants simply because they receive benefits, have children, or don’t fit a narrow definition of “professional.”

The right to a pet.
Tenants can request to have a pet, and landlords must consider these on a case by case basis.

Landlords can no longer have blanket bans on pets, and can only refuse in specific and reasonable circumstances, such as the property is unsuitable for a pet or that a tenant has an allergy. 

This is a brief overview of key changes in the new legislation. To see the changes in full and how they will apply to you, you can go to the Government website: https://housinghub.campaign.gov.uk/renting-is-changing-private-tenants/

These changes haven’t come from nowhere, and they weren’t handed down to us on a plate.

It’s the result of sustained pressure from renters, and over a decade of organising, campaigning and taking action to make sure the issue couldn’t be ignored.

ACORN formed in Bristol in 2014 with a simple idea: that renters, when organised, could stand up to landlords and win.

It was clear that the state of renting was a huge issue, and something that came up when speaking to neighbours time and time again.

In our early years, we focused on local struggles – linking arms to resist evictions, marching on landlords to win back deposits, and demanding the local council clamp down on rogue landlords making money from dangerous homes.

As ACORN branches sprung up across the country, it quickly became apparent that renters were facing the same problems everywhere.

It was clear that the law needed to change, so we set out to make it happen, and were soon leading calls for reform and for the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault evictions.’ 

As pressure started to grow, it became impossible for politicians to ignore, and in April 2019, then PM Theresa May announced that she planned to end section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. 

The Renters Reform Coalition formed, an alliance of organisations brought together to push for the real changes needed to improve renting. ACORN played a key role in shaping its demands, ensuring they reflected the real experiences of tenants.

There were mass lobby days, protests, and coordinated actions across the country. 

We lobbied MPs directly and made sure the experiences of our members were covered in newspapers and on the TV.

We took members to meet with ministers, spoke in Parliament, and took part in roundtables and consultations. 

And throughout it all, ACORN continued our day-to-day work: building power in our communities and defending our members.

Even as the legislation took shape, the campaign didn’t stop. We fought to strengthen the bill: pushing back against landlord amendments and fighting to close loopholes to make the protections as strong as possible.

Now, 7 years, 5 Prime Ministers and 2 shades of government later, the Renters’ Rights Act is becoming law.

This is the biggest change in a generation, and it happened because renters got organised and refused to accept how things were!

The new law changes won’t fix everything overnight, but it’s a huge step forward: a shift in power that shows what’s possible when renters organise.

But it doesn’t stop here. 

We must now make sure these rights are enforced, and make sure that rule breaking landlords and letting agents aren’t let off the hook by Council’s and the Government.

And until everyone has a safe, secure and affordable place to call home, there’s more to fight for.

The best way of fighting for housing justice, and making sure you and your housemates are defended, is by being a member of ACORN!