From 1 May 2026, English private landlords needed to stop using Section 21 for new notices, treat assured tenancies as periodic, use the revised Section 8/Form 3A process, follow the new rent-increase rules and update tenancy advertising, information and management practices.
How this benefits a landlord
- Use the right possession route from day one
- Avoid inconsistent tenancy and rent documents
- Give tenants the required information on time
- Align agents and portfolio staff around one live checklist
Possession: move to the new Section 8 system
A notice served from commencement normally needs Form 3A, a statutory possession ground, a factual explanation and the correct notice period. Remove old Section 21 templates from active folders and agent systems so they are not used by habit. Archive them with their dates where a pre-commencement case remains live.
Create short triage questions for sale, landlord or family occupation, arrears, breach, antisocial behaviour and other grounds. The purpose is not to let an unqualified administrator make a legal decision. It is to collect the information an adviser needs without losing time.
Remember that notice expiry is not eviction. If the tenant remains, the landlord applies to court and, after an order, uses authorised enforcement where required. Do not let practical arrangements such as a planned sale date imply a guaranteed possession date.
Tenancy terms and information
Assured tenancies moved to a periodic basis. An old fixed end date no longer provided the possession mechanism many landlords associated with it. Management systems, renewal messages and template agreements needed to describe the tenancy accurately.
For existing tenancies, landlords or agents had a legal duty to provide the government information sheet by 31 May 2026 where the rules required it. New tenancies needed prescribed written information before the tenancy was agreed. Save both the document and evidence of delivery.
Audit oral or incomplete arrangements and provide the required written record. Clear terms benefit both sides by confirming rent, due date, deposit, repair responsibilities and bills without relying on different memories.
Rent, advertising and onboarding
Use Section 13 and Form 4A for assured-tenancy rent increases, normally no more than once in 12 months and with at least two months’ notice. Disable automated contractual-review messages that do not use the new process.
Written adverts need a specific asking rent, and landlords or agents must not invite, encourage or accept a higher bid. Train everyone who answers enquiries because a compliant advert can still be undermined by a follow-up message suggesting competition above the price.
The new rules also limit rent in advance for a new tenancy and prohibit taking it before agreement. Review reservation, holding-deposit, signing and first-payment steps as one journey rather than separate departments.
Pets, discrimination and enforcement risk
A tenant can request permission to keep a pet, and the landlord must consider the request rather than operate a blanket refusal. Keep the request, relevant property/lease considerations, decision and reasons. A fair written process reduces inconsistent outcomes.
Landlords and agents must not discriminate against applicants because they receive benefits or have children, alongside existing Equality Act duties. Remove blanket “no benefits” or “no children” wording and use lawful, consistent affordability and suitability criteria.
Councils gained stronger enforcement duties and financial-penalty powers. The practical benefit of a documented process is not merely avoiding a fine; it improves decisions, handovers and the evidence available when a complaint is investigated.
Your practical action checklist
Use this checklist to organise the next review. It is not a substitute for checking the current ground, form and facts of a particular tenancy.
- Remove Section 21 from new-notice workflows
- Adopt current Form 3A triage and evidence checks
- Issue required information by the applicable deadline
- Update tenancy and renewal wording
- Adopt Form 4A rent-review controls
- Audit adverts, upfront-rent, pet and discrimination processes
Questions landlords ask
Did fixed-term assured tenancies continue?
Existing and new assured tenancies moved to the periodic model under the reforms.
When was the information sheet due for existing tenancies?
Government material said landlords or agents needed to provide it by 31 May 2026 where required.
Can a landlord refuse every pet request?
No. Requests must be considered, and a refusal should have a reason.
Legal facts were checked against these official sources on 2026-08-14. This article is general information, not tailored legal advice.