Millions of landlords and tenants will feel the impact of significant new regulations taking effect this week. The Renters’ Rights Act, starting on May 1, prohibits “no fault” evictions and requires landlords to consider allowing tenants to have pets. Citizens Advice welcomes the legislation, highlighting key changes for the public.
In March, Citizens Advice assisted 2,335 individuals facing “no fault” evictions, with additional support provided for repairs, unsafe living conditions, and rent hikes. Amy Hughes, Advice Manager at Citizens Advice, emphasized the Act’s importance for private renters, addressing power imbalances and providing tenants with necessary home security.
Under the new rules, Section 21 evictions without cause will be prohibited. Landlords can only evict tenants for specific reasons like rent arrears or antisocial behavior, providing a four-month notice period. Additionally, fixed-term tenancies will transition to rolling periodic agreements, lacking fixed end dates.
Landlords are mandated to furnish tenants with essential details such as rent amounts and contact information. Tenants must give a two-month notice before leaving, and landlords can only increase rent once annually with a two-month notice period. Tenants now have the right to request pet ownership, with landlords needing a valid reason to refuse.
Landlords can no longer demand more than one month’s rent upfront, and rent bidding competitions are prohibited. Discriminatory rental practices, like excluding children or benefits recipients, are banned, although exceptions may exist for children.
