Renters’ Rights Act: Your Autumn 2026 Landlord Compliance Audit
The main tenancy reforms under the Renters’ Rights Act came into force in England on 1 May 2026. Several months on, the important question for landlords is no longer whether they were ready for the change. It is whether their day-to-day management now reflects the rules in force.
That requires more than downloading a new tenancy agreement or reading a summary of the legislation. Advertising, tenant communications, rent collection, record-keeping and possession procedures all need to work together.
A sensible audit follows the tenancy from the documents already on file through to the way requests, repairs and decisions are handled. Here is where to begin.
1. Start with every tenancy file
Existing assured shorthold tenancies automatically became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026. Any fixed end date that previously applied no longer operates in the same way.
Landlords did not generally need to replace an existing written tenancy agreement. However, most were required to provide every named tenant with the official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.
For each tenancy, check:
whether the agreement predates 1 May 2026;
whether it is written or entirely verbal;
whether the correct Information Sheet was sent to every named tenant;
when and how it was delivered;
whether evidence of delivery has been retained.
The official PDF matters. A link to a webpage, a summary written by an agent or an accessible-format version supplied without the official document may not satisfy the requirement.
An existing tenancy based entirely on a verbal agreement required written information about its key terms by 31 May 2026. New tenancies also require specified information to be given in writing.
If something is missing, correct the record promptly and take appropriate advice about any earlier breach. Providing a document late does not change the date on which it was originally due, but leaving the omission unresolved only creates a larger management problem.
2. Review advertising and application procedures
The new rules affect the journey before a tenancy begins as well as the agreement itself.
Written property and room adverts must include an asking rent. A landlord or agent cannot invite, encourage or accept an offer above that figure. This means the process behind the advert matters too.
Review portal listings, enquiry templates, viewing follow-ups and messages sent to applicants. Avoid wording that suggests applicants can improve their prospects by offering more.
Landlords and agents must also avoid discriminating against applicants simply because they receive benefits or have children. Application criteria can still consider affordability, suitability and lawful occupancy restrictions, but blanket exclusions should not appear in adverts or standard responses.
The audit should therefore cover more than the final tenancy agreement. Check the messages and templates used by everyone involved in letting the property.
3. Separate rent from deposits before the tenancy begins
Rent cannot be requested, encouraged or accepted before the tenancy agreement has been signed by both parties. This still applies if an applicant volunteers to pay several months in advance.
Once the agreement has been signed and before the tenancy starts, a landlord can normally request no more than one month’s rent in advance where rent is paid monthly, or 28 days’ rent where it is paid on another basis.
Holding deposits and tenancy deposits are treated separately. A holding deposit of up to one week’s rent and a tenancy deposit within the permitted limits can still be requested, provided the relevant rules are followed.
Check application forms, offer emails and payment instructions carefully. Phrases inherited from an old process, particularly those inviting applicants without a UK guarantor to offer substantial rent in advance, may now create a compliance problem.
4. Replace old rent-increase procedures
An informal email or a rent-review clause in an old agreement is not a substitute for the statutory process.
For an assured periodic tenancy, a rent increase must normally be proposed using Form 4A under the section 13 procedure. The tenant must receive at least two months’ notice, and the rent cannot generally be increased more than once a year. An increase cannot be imposed during the first year of a new tenancy.
The proposed figure should also reflect the open market rent. A tenant can challenge an increase that they believe is above the market level.
Audit every planned and recently completed increase. Record the current rent, the last increase date, the evidence used to assess the market figure, the form served, the delivery date and the date on which the new rent is intended to begin.
5. Remove Section 21 from current procedures
Section 21 is no longer available for ending an assured periodic tenancy under the new regime.
A landlord seeking possession must use an applicable statutory ground and serve the correct Section 8 notice. The required evidence and notice period depend on the ground being used.
This makes preparation especially important. Selling a property, moving into it, dealing with serious rent arrears and responding to antisocial behaviour are not interchangeable situations. Each relies on its own legal ground and conditions.
Remove obsolete notices from shared folders and management systems so they are not issued accidentally. If possession is being considered, obtain advice on the individual circumstances before serving anything.
Transitional cases involving a valid notice served before 1 May 2026 can be different and should be considered separately.
6. Create a proper process for pet requests
A tenant can request permission to keep a pet and the landlord cannot refuse without a fair reason.
The request should be made in writing and include information about the animal. A useful management process should record:
the type, size and number of animals;
the accommodation and available space;
any relevant lease, superior-landlord or building restrictions;
the likely effect on other occupants, particularly in a shared property;
the landlord’s decision and reasons.
This is not an automatic right to keep any pet in any property, but neither is a standard “no pets” response enough. The decision needs to reflect the particular animal, property and tenancy.
7. Check repairs, safety records and property condition
The tenancy paperwork is only one part of the audit.
Review gas, electrical, fire-safety and other records relevant to the property. Check when the property was last inspected, which repairs remain outstanding and who is responsible for each next action.
Good records should show when a problem was reported, how it was assessed, what work was instructed, when it was completed and what the tenant was told. This is good property management regardless of which legislative phase introduced a particular requirement.
Avoid treating planned future reforms as though they are already in force. The Renters’ Rights Act is being implemented in phases, so landlords should distinguish between current duties and measures still awaiting later implementation.
8. Give HMO properties a separate review
A general tenancy audit is not enough for a house in multiple occupation.
In Norwich, a property occupied by five or more tenants forming two or more households will normally require mandatory HMO licensing. Smaller shared properties may still be HMOs and remain subject to HMO management and safety requirements even where a licence is not required.
For each HMO, check:
whether the property requires a licence;
the licence expiry date and permitted occupancy;
whether the current household matches the licence conditions;
room sizes, amenities and shared facilities;
fire precautions, escape routes and alarm records;
electrical and gas-safety documentation;
management of communal areas, waste and repairs;
whether each room agreement and tenant file reflects the current tenancy rules.
Requirements should be checked against the council responsible for the property. A house in Norwich City Council’s area should not automatically be treated in the same way as one in Broadland, North Norfolk or another Norfolk district. National rules provide the foundation, but local licensing arrangements, standards and enforcement sit alongside them.
9. Turn the findings into an action log
Finish the audit with a short working document rather than another folder of information.
For every gap, record:
what is missing or needs changing;
the property and tenancy affected;
who is responsible;
the deadline;
what evidence will confirm completion.
Prioritise anything affecting a current tenancy, an imminent letting, a rent increase or proposed possession action. Then schedule a further review so that updated guidance, licence renewals and expiring safety records are not left to memory.
Compliance is rarely about one perfect document. It comes from having clear processes, accurate records and somebody responsible for following each action through.
If you own a rental property in Norwich or elsewhere in Norfolk and are unsure whether your current management arrangements reflect the rules now in force, arrange a conversation with Roost. We can help you review the practical management position, identify operational gaps and explain where specialist legal advice may be needed.
This article provides general information for landlords in England. It is not legal or tax advice.
