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Plain-English guidance and the right legal documents — current with the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, checked against the legislation, and explained without the jargon. No membership, no solicitor’s clock running.
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The documents and guides landlords need in 2026
Most landlords arriving here need one of these four. Each one explains plainly what it’s for.
Tenancy Agreement (AST)
An assured shorthold tenancy agreement updated for the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The most common landlord document.
Section 8 Notice
The principal route to recover possession of a residential property under the post-RRA framework. For breach of tenancy under Schedule 2 grounds.
Section 13 Rent Increase
The statutory mechanism for increasing rent on an assured periodic tenancy under the new RRA framework. Free statutory form from gov.uk.
Renters’ Rights Act 2025
The largest reform of the private rented sector in 35 years. Phase 1 in force from 1 May 2026. What every landlord needs to do before, during, and after.
The biggest change to renting in a generation is now law
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 took effect on 1 May 2026 in the largest single change to landlord-tenant law in three and a half decades. Section 21 evictions are abolished, fixed-term tenancies are gone, rent review clauses become unenforceable, and every existing tenant must receive a government Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. Most pre-existing landlord templates and processes need to change.
The TAS approach is editorial: we explain what the framework requires, link to authoritative primary sources, and point readers to up-to-date templates and qualified professional support. We don’t give legal advice — we help you find the right documents and the right people to talk to.
Rent-increase checker
See whether you can lawfully raise the rent yet — and the earliest date it could take effect.
- On a periodic tenancy, Section 13 (Form 4A) is the only lawful way to raise the rent.
- You can do it once every 12 months, with at least 2 months’ notice.
- Old rent-review clauses are void — the tribunal route protects tenants.
Illustrative tool, not advice on your individual circumstances.
The 2026 private rented sector, at a glance
Sources: GOV.UK Renters’ Rights Act implementation roadmap; English Private Landlord Survey 2024.
Everything for a 2026 tenancy
All legal documents and templates
tenancy agreements, possession notices, deposit forms, surrender forms, and more.
Court forms
N5 (claim for possession), N9 (acknowledgment of service), N11R, N119, N121, N215, N325 — guidance on each.
Landlord laws and legislation
Housing Act 1988, Housing Act 2004, RRA 2025, Deregulation Act, Right to Rent, and other key statutes.
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)
licensing, amenity standards, and tenancy considerations for multi-let properties.
Wales
the separate framework under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 and standard occupation contracts.
Property management
gas safety, EICR, EPC, fire safety, deposit protection.
Tenant management
communication, inspections, anti-social behaviour, abandonment, and end of tenancy.
Lodger agreements
for resident landlords letting a room in their own home. Sits outside the RRA framework.
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We provide information, not advice on your individual circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tenancy agreement?
A tenancy agreement is a contract between a landlord and a tenant that grants the tenant the right to occupy a residential property in exchange for rent. In England, residential tenancies are usually assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) governed by the Housing Act 1988 (as amended by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025). For more detail, see our tenancy agreement template page.
Do I legally need a written tenancy agreement?
No. A tenancy can be created orally and remains legally binding. However, a written agreement is strongly advisable for both landlord and tenant — it sets out clear terms, supports deposit protection compliance, and is essential evidence in any later dispute. Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, landlords with wholly oral existing tenancies face additional obligations to provide written documentation by 31 May 2026.
Are existing tenancy templates RRA-compliant?
Templates drafted before late 2025 are unlikely to be RRA-compliant in their original form. Reputable template providers including Net Lawman have updated their templates for the new framework. For new tenancies signed on or after 1 May 2026, an updated template that reflects the abolition of fixed terms, the new pet request process, and the upfront-rent restrictions is essential.
What’s changed under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025?
The headline changes: Section 21 evictions are abolished; all assured tenancies become periodic by default; rent review clauses are unenforceable; upfront rent is capped at one month; tenants gain a statutory right to request pets; existing assured tenancies must be served the official Information Sheet between 1 and 31 May 2026. For the full picture see our RRA 2025 guide.
Do I need a solicitor to be a landlord?
For most routine letting, no — a properly drafted tenancy agreement template, paired with care over statutory obligations (deposit protection, gas safety, EICR, right-to-rent checks), is sufficient. A practising solicitor is genuinely valuable when you face possession proceedings, when a tenancy has unusual features (company tenants, mixed-use property, listed buildings), or when something has gone wrong. The Law Society’s Find a Solicitor service is the official starting point.
What’s the difference between a tenancy and a licence?
A tenancy gives the occupier exclusive possession of the property and the protections of housing legislation. A licence (such as a lodger arrangement where the landlord lives in the property) gives only permission to occupy, with far fewer statutory protections. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 amends the Housing Act 1988 — which only governs tenancies — so lodger arrangements sit outside the RRA framework entirely. See our lodger agreement page for detail.
Fresh guidance
- Renters’ Rights Act 2025: A Landlord’s Guide — comprehensive guide to Phase 1 changes from 1 May 2026.
- Section 8 notice and Schedule 2 grounds — the post-RRA route to possession.
- Section 13 rent increase notice — the new Form 4A and Tribunal challenge process.
- Tenancy deposit protection notice — the prescribed information requirement.
- N5 claim form for possession — court procedure for possession proceedings.