Your London rental property is ready for the Renters’ Rights Bill if it’s in a safe condition, your tenancy agreements have been changed from fixed to periodic and you’ve updated your marketing to ensure anti-discrimination.
London landlords have a lot to think about in coming months to ensure that their rental property is ready for the Renters’ Rights Bill. They’ll be new factors to consider regarding compliance, tenancy agreements and the property itself.
New landlord policies can seem like a minefield but we’re here to help. At J Property Management London, our professional services help landlords prepare for changes, stay compliant and get the most out of their London rental properties.
Contact us today to see how we could help!
What Is The Renters’ Rights Bill?
From May 1st 2026, the Renters’ Rights Bill will come into play, bringing about many changes for the private rental sector that landlords need to be aware of. The purpose of the bill is to improve private rental conditions and make renting fairer for tenants.
The key changes outlined by the Renters’ Rights Bill include:
No More Section 21 Evictions
Without section 21 (“no-fault” evictions), landlords will need to provide valid evidence if they want to evict tenants, making good tenant sourcing practices more important than ever.
Changing Tenancies
Rather than fixed-term tenancies, all tenancies will now need to be converted to periodic. This means that instead of having a fixed end date, all tenancies will be rolling, giving tenants more flexibility.
Anti-Discrimination Measures
To avoid discrimination of tenants, new measures will be in place to make sure that tenants are getting equal rights to rent – including parents, pet-owners and tenants on benefits.
Decent Homes Standard
The Decent Homes Standard, formerly only relevant for the public sector, will be rolled out across the private sector too – including policies like Awaab’s Law. This puts more pressure on landlords to ensure their homes are completely safe and habitable. More than ever before, landlords will need to be hot on staying on top of regular inspections, safety checks and property maintenance.
Working with a local property management company ensures that your property is in good condition all year round. Contact us today to see how we can make sure your home stays safe and in great condition.
Limited Rent Increases
The new rules state that landlords will have a maximum of one rent increase per year and tenants will have greater flexibility in negotiating or rejecting the proposed increase. Landlords will need to be strategic about proposing rent increases including careful consideration about when, by how much and how they do it.
Prepare Your London Rental Property For The Renters’ Rights Bill
In order to prepare your London rental property for the Renters’ Rights Bill, use the following checklist:
- Convert existing tenancies from fixed to periodic and make sure all new tenancies are periodic
- Be proactive in making your property safe, carrying out structural inspections, safety checks and checking for things like damp, mould or hazards
- Strategise rent increases, bearing in mind you can only do it once a year with at least 2 months’ notice and in line with market value
- Cap upfront rent to just one month of rent
- Update marketing to make sure there is no unwanted discrimination against certain tenants
- Implement fair tenancy practices including non-discriminatory screening.
What Admin Needs Doing For Your London Rental Property Before The Renters’ Rights Bill?
London landlords can get ahead of the Renters’ Rights Bill in May by:
Review Tenancy Agreements
Remove any mention of fixed contracts and ensure that the new, period tenancy structure is reflected.
Prepare A Tenant Guide
Prepare a written statement of terms for existing and new tenants so that they are aware of what these new changes mean for them.
Familiarise Yourself With Digital Compliance
With a new Private Rented Sector Database and digital tax software being introduced, now is a good time for landlords to familiarise themselves with digital platforms to confirm understanding and avoid any penalties.
Revise Tenant Screening
Make sure your tenant screening process is compliant with new anti-discrimination rules and that any outdated references are updated. You’ll need to assess prospective tenants based on affordability, references and credit history – no other factors – and cannot encourage bidding wars.
Tenant screening is one of the most crucial factors of being a landlord, and one of the most difficult. Our Let Only service helps landlords with tenant sourcing – from handling marketing to running checks on tenants – to get you the best tenants for your property while adhering to all new compliance.
Learn New Possession Rules
With Section 21 being abolished, it will be more difficult for landlords to legally regain possession of their property. Now is a good time to prepare for these changes and learn what the process will be should they need to evict tenants.
Gather Evidence
If you plan to sell your property in 2026, or move into it yourself, now is a good moment to start gathering evidence, keeping detailed records which can be presented.
Register For The Ombudsman Scheme
Later in the year, the Ombudsman Scheme will become available for landlords. As soon as it is available, landlords should register.
Carry Out Checks
To get ahead, now is a good time to carry out property checks include gas, energy and electrics, and gather the key documents:
- Gas safety certificate
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
Prepare Your London Rental Property For The Renters’ Rights Bill With J Property Management
The Renters’ Rights Bill is going to bring about many changes from May 2026 but we can help London landlords get ahead of the game.
Whether it’s getting your paperwork in order, updating marketing or revising tenancy agreements, we can help you start your preparation for the Renters’ Rights Bill. We can also help you stay on top of your property maintenance to ensure full compliance and avoid any penalties.
From individual services to help lighten the load to full property management solutions, we can help you at whatever level you need with professional, affordable solutions.
Contact us today to start preparing your London rental property in time!
