- Yes, bidding wars on rentals are now completely banned in England.
- Landlords and letting agents cannot ask for, encourage or accept an offer above the advertised rent, and breaking the rules could lead to a fine of up to £7,000.
- If you need help working out how much rent to charge on your property, J Property Management can help. Try our free online valuation tool today.
Yes, bidding wars on rentals are now completely banned in England under the Renters’ Rights Act.
Since 1 May 2026, landlords and letting agents have had to advertise rental properties with one clear asking rent. They cannot ask tenants to offer more, encourage them to increase their offer or accept a higher amount, even if the tenant offers it themselves.
For years, bidding wars were pretty common in competitive rental markets, especially in London. A property would be advertised at one price, multiple tenants would apply and somebody would offer an extra £50 or £100 per month to make themselves seem more appealing to the landlord. As of May 2026, this is no longer allowed to happen.
The rent shown in the advert is now the maximum rent you can accept from tenants. This means landlords need to think much more carefully about pricing their property before it goes onto the market.
At J Property Management, we help landlords set the right asking rent, advertise their properties correctly and make sure landlords are staying compliant.
To find out how we can help with your rental property, get in touch with the J Property Management team today.
Are Rental Bidding Wars Completely Banned?
Yes, landlords and letting agents can no longer ask for, encourage or accept an offer above the advertised rent. One of the most important things for landlords to understand is that the ban goes further than just stopping bidding wars.
Under the new rules, you can’t advertise a property and then ask tenants who have put in offers whether they would be willing to pay more. You also can’t tell a tenant that somebody else has offered a higher rent to encourage them to increase their own offer.
Even small comments can cause problems. For example, telling a tenant that they might have a better chance if they “improved their offer” would be against the new rules. The advertised rent is now the highest amount you can accept during that letting process, which makes that initial figure incredibly important.
What Is Considered A Rental Bidding War?
A rental bidding war is when tenants are asked or allowed to compete by offering to pay more than the advertised rent.
But the new rules are very strict on what counts. For example, asking tenants to provide their “best and final offer” would count as rental bidding. Advertising a property with “offers over” or listing a range of possible rents would also break the rules. Landlords and agents are also not allowed to tell applicants about higher offers to try and get more money from them.
So, unlike in previous years where bidding wars could help landlords decide between multiple offers, they must now look at which tenants are the most suitable, rather than how much rent they are willing to pay.
What Rent Should Landlords Put In Property Adverts?
Landlords must include one specific asking rent in every property advert. You can no longer advertise a property using a rent range or wording like “offers over”, “rent from” or “best offers invited”.
For example, if you advertise a property at £2,000 per month, £2,000 becomes the maximum amount you can accept from the successful tenant. This makes getting the valuation right at the beginning much more important.
In years gone by, some landlords would advertise with a rental price below what they wanted, knowing that this may drive demand and push the final rent higher. Under the new laws, they are no longer allowed to do that.
At J Property Management, we can carry out a rental valuation for you, so you can choose the best price before the advert goes live. Try our free online valuation tool today.
Can A Tenant Offer More Rent Themselves?
No, you cannot accept more than the advertised rent even if the tenant offers it without being asked. This is probably the part of the new rules that will catch some landlords out.
A tenant may offer more because they love the property or have already lost out on several other options. They might think an extra £50 per month will make their application more attractive. Even if you did nothing to encourage the offer, you still can’t accept it.
If the property is advertised at £1,800 per month, that is the highest rent you can agree for that tenancy.
What Are The Penalties For Breaking The Rental Bidding Rules?
Landlords and letting agents could receive a penalty of up to £7,000 for breaking the rental bidding rules. It is local councils that are responsible for enforcing these penalties.
If a tenant believes they were asked or encouraged to offer more than the advertised rent, they can report the landlord or letting agent to the council. This is why it is important to keep copies of your adverts and written communication with tenants.
A casual message might not feel that serious at the time, but if the wording isn’t clear, then it could lead to a fine.
How Can Landlords Avoid Breaking The Rules?
Landlords can avoid breaking the rules by setting one realistic asking rent, keeping their advertising consistent and never discussing higher offers with prospective tenants.
Before advertising your property, make sure you are happy with the asking rent. Check that every advert contains the same specific price and remove phrases like “offers over” or “best and final offers”.
Your application forms should also focus on whether tenants can afford the rent rather than asking what they are willing to pay.
You should also be careful during viewings. It is fine to tell applicants that the property is popular, but you should not hint that paying more would give them a better chance. If a tenant offers a higher rent themselves, refuse it and keep a written record of your response.
How Can J Property Management Help?
If you’re worried about setting the right rental price whilst staying compliant, J Property Management can help.
The rental bidding ban is only one of a number of major changes landlords have to be compliant with under the new Renters’ Rights Act. For landlords managing properties themselves, staying on top of the changing rules can feel like a full-time job.
At J Property Management, we can help with rental valuations, compliant property advertising, tenant sourcing, viewings, referencing, rent collection, inspections and maintenance.
We also offer a Guaranteed Rent service. For 12% of the monthly rent, we manage the property and pay you on time every month, even if the tenant’s payment is delayed.
Rather than worrying about advertising rules, missed payments or changing legislation, you will have an experienced property management team handling everything for you.
To find out how we can help protect your property and rental income, get in touch with J Property Management today.
