The Renters' Rights Act: a landlord's working checklist
Most RRA coverage is about possession reform. The operational changes for a compliant landlord are more mundane and more immediate: documents to serve, a registration scheme arriving region by region, and a new rent-increase procedure.
Existing tenancies (ASTs on 1 May 2026)
Tenancies that were assured shorthold tenancies on 1 May 2026 required the official information sheet by 31 May 2026. If you haven't confirmed service, that's the first thing to nail down — civil penalties run up to £7,000.
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New tenancies (from 1 May 2026)
New tenancies need a written statement of terms at or before the start. Same penalty band. Keep proof of service — the obligation is only as good as your evidence of it.
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Coming: registration and the ombudsman
The PRS database (landlord + property registration) rolls out regionally from late 2026, with penalties from £7,000 to £40,000 once mandatory in your area. Mandatory ombudsman membership is expected around 2028. Neither needs action today — both need watching.
Rent increases are now once per year via the prescribed Form 4A process; a non-compliant increase isn't binding.