Under the Renters’ Rights Act, coming into play on 1 May 2026, landlords can face new fines of up to £40,000 for failing to comply.
From this year, landlords will need to be aware of changing laws and potential penalties for actions such as fixed-term tenancies, failure to provide key information to tenants or not following new eviction protocol.
If you’re a landlord looking to avoid costly penalties, we can help. At J Property Management London, we’re here to help you stay on top of legal obligations, while maximising your profit and keeping your property in good condition.
Contact us today to see how we can help with your specific needs!
Key Fines For Landlords To Be Aware Of From 2026
From 2026, landlords could be fined for the following:
Failing To Provide Information To Tenants
Landlords and letting agents must provide all existing tenants an “Official Information Sheet” – a 4-page document downloadable from GOV.UK explaining upcoming changes in tenancies. While landlords don’t need to provide a new tenancy agreement, this information sheet is crucial so that all tenants understand how the new laws will affect their current tenancies. The information must be provided by 31st May 2026 and failure to do so can result in a £7,000 penalty.
Breaching The Renters Rights Act
The Renters’ Rights Act comes into full effect from 1 May 2026, bringing about a whole new set of rules for landlords to be aware of. Among them, landlords need to update their approach to evictions and replace all fixed-term contracts with periodic ones. Breaching the Act can lead to fines of up to £40,000, depending on the offence.
Landlords have a lot of new rules to follow from 1 May 2026 and it can be hard to keep up. If you’re struggling balancing compliance and profit, we can help. At J Property Management, we help landlords all over London and the UK with their property management needs – from ensuring full legality to year-round property maintenance and tenant management. Whatever your needs, we can help.
Contact us today.
Not Reporting Tax Digitally
Taxes are going digital and landlords need to keep up. From 6 April 2026, landlords with a gross income of over £50,000 must use Making Tax Digital (a new, authorised tax reporting software) in order to do their quarterly tax reporting. If they fail to file their taxes digitally, they can face expensive penalties. The sooner they familiarise themselves with the new software, the better.
Accepting Bids Above The Advertised Rental Price
As of this year, it will be illegal to accept any bids above the rental price that’s advertised. If landlords are found to have encouraged or accepted bids higher than the listed price, they may be subject to penalties.
Showing Discrimination Towards Tenants And Potential Tenants
The UK government is clamping down on their anti-discrimination laws and landlords must review their tenant screening and marketing practices to make sure that they’re fair. Any landlords seen to be discriminating against potential tenants, including refusing tenants with pets, children or those on benefits, will have to pay penalties.
Not Following New Eviction Protocols
As part of the Renters’ Rights Act, Section 21 “no-fault” evictions will be banned, meaning that landlords can no longer evict tenants without valid reason. Landlords will need to follow much stricter eviction protocols including providing specific, evidence-based reason for the eviction, or proof of resale or possession. They will need to demonstrate specific faults such as anti-social behaviour or at least three months of rent arrears.
With these new rules in place, landlords can easily get caught out with some very expensive penalties. We know it’s difficult to stay on top of changing laws, especially alongside the rest of your landlord responsibilities and obligations.
At J Property Management, we help landlords simplify their lives, whether it’s supporting with the legal and financial stuff, sourcing high-quality tenants or providing full property management services so that you can be totally hands off.
Get in touch today to see what property management solution could work for your needs.
How Much Could Landlords Be Fined In 2026?
Under the new Renters’ Rights Act, landlords could face up to £40,000 in fines. Here is a specific breakdown of what fines they may have to pay.
- £7,000 – a £7,000 penalty will be applied to any landlords who fail to provide their tenants with the obligatory information sheet by 31 May 2026.
- £6,000 – landlord caught trying to use a Section 21 “no-fault” eviction after 1 May 2026 could face penalties of around £6,000.
- £4,000 – if caught trying to set a fixed-term contract when all contracts should be periodic, landlords may face penalties of around £4,000.
- Up to £40,000 – for severe or ongoing breaches of the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords could face up to £40,000 in penalties. Providing false information to the Private Rental Sector database could also lead to fines of up to £40,000.
- If landlords are accused of unfair practices, such as setting unreasonable rent increases, their tenants could take them to court. This could lead to re-compensation of tenant rent, legal fees and additional penalties.
- Landlords who fail to protect a tenant’s deposit in an authorised government scheme within 30 days could end up paying the tenant compensation of 1-3 times the deposit amount depending on what the court decides.
How Can Landlords Avoid Penalties In 2026?
Landlords can avoid penalties by being aware of key deadlines for new laws and getting ahead as soon as possible. From updating property listings to avoid any discriminatory language to drafting a new tenancy agreement template to reflect rolling tenancies, there is a lot that landlords can be already doing.
It is also a good time to get their property maintenance underway to ensure that it is in line with the Decent Homes Standard coming into play later.
With changing laws regarding property standards and tenant treatment, landlords may want to review their property management responsibilities. Staying legally compliant while making a profit is no small task and can soon become a full-time job. If you’re looking to enjoy your property investment without the daily headaches, we can help. At J Property Management, we can handle everything for you so that you have total peace of mind that you’re adhering to all laws, tenants are happy and your property is in good condition.
Contact us today.
Prepare For Landlord Laws With J Property Management
If you’re unsure about what changing legislation means for you as a landlord, you’re not alone. New landlord laws can be difficult to keep up with with countless new rules and deadlines to be aware of. That’s why we’re here to help – every step of the way.
At J Property Management, we’re experts in helping landlords manage their property management needs – from initial marketing and full legal compliance to 24/7 tenant support and year-round property maintenance. We’re here to make your life easier so that you can enjoy the benefits of your property investment without getting bogged down in paperwork.
Contact us today for a bespoke property management solution to fit your exact needs.
