Tenants’ Rights

Tenants in England gained substantial new rights under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. This page sets out the full set of statutory rights now in force — what they are, what landlords must do to comply, and the penalties for failure. It is written for landlords who want to understand their obligations clearly enough to avoid them becoming liabilities.

Why this matters for landlords

A landlord who understands tenant rights makes fewer costly mistakes. Every right described on this page is enforceable — by the local authority through civil penalties, by the tenant through the courts or the First-tier Tribunal, and increasingly by the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman when it launches. Knowing the rules is cheaper than learning them through enforcement.

1. The right to a written tenancy agreement

From 1 May 2026, every tenant is entitled to a written statement of terms before the tenancy is entered into. The statement must cover the parties, the property, the rent, the rent period, deposit details, and the key statutory rights of the tenant. For tenancies that pre-dated 1 May 2026, the landlord must provide the government Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.

Failure: civil penalty up to £7,000 per tenancy, enforceable by the local authority.

See what a tenancy agreement now contains and our guide for landlords with verbal tenancies.

2. The right to deposit protection

A deposit must be protected in an authorised scheme (Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits, or Tenancy Deposit Scheme) within 30 days of receipt. Prescribed information about the deposit must be served on the tenant within the same 30-day period.

Failure: the tenant can claim 1× to 3× the deposit amount as a penalty, and the landlord cannot serve a Section 21 notice (during the transitional period) or rely on certain Section 8 grounds without first remedying the failure or returning the deposit.

3. The right to a safe home

The landlord is responsible for the structure and exterior of the property and for installations for the supply of water, gas, electricity, sanitation, and heating. These obligations are imposed by sections 11 to 17 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and are implied into every assured tenancy regardless of what the agreement says.

Specific obligations include:

• Annual gas safety inspection by a Gas Safe registered engineer, with a copy of the certificate (CP12) to the tenant within 28 days.
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every five years.
• Smoke alarms on every floor and carbon monoxide alarms in every room with a fixed combustion appliance.
• Energy Performance Certificate rated E or above (with limited exemptions).
• Compliance with the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) — no Category 1 hazards.

From a future date (post-2028, subject to consultation), the Decent Homes Standard and an extended Awaab’s Law will apply to the private rented sector.

4. The right to security of tenure

A tenant cannot be evicted without a court order. From 1 May 2026, the landlord must establish one of 37 statutory grounds in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988 (as amended). Section 21 — the no-reason route — has been abolished.

Notice periods range from immediate (most serious anti-social behaviour) to four months (landlord-side grounds such as sale or family occupation). The accelerated possession procedure has been retired; every claim requires a court hearing.

See our Section 8 guide for the full framework.

5. The right to challenge a rent increase

A landlord can only increase rent through a Section 13 notice on Form 4. Two months’ notice is required, and increases can happen no more than once every 52 weeks. The tenant has the right to challenge the proposed increase at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the new rent takes effect.

The tribunal determines the open-market rent. It cannot set the rent above the figure proposed by the landlord; it can reduce it. The tribunal’s decision is binding.

See our rent increase guide.

6. The right to request a pet

Tenants now have a statutory right to request consent to keep a pet. The landlord must respond in writing within four weeks and cannot unreasonably refuse. Reasonable grounds for refusal include a superior lease that prohibits pets, unsuitability of the property, or specific risks posed by a particular pet. Personal preference is not a reasonable ground.

Landlords can require pet damage insurance to cover potential damage. Blanket “no pets” clauses in tenancy agreements are unenforceable.

7. The right not to be discriminated against

Landlords and letting agents cannot refuse to enter into a tenancy on the grounds that the prospective tenant has children or receives benefits (including Universal Credit and Housing Benefit). “No DSS” or “no children” advertising is unlawful.

Indirect discrimination — for example, requiring an income multiple that effectively excludes benefit recipients — is also prohibited. Lawful selection criteria must be objective and applied consistently.

8. The right to a property free from rental bidding

Landlords and letting agents must publish a stated rent and cannot accept offers above that rent, nor invite or encourage bidding. The advertised rent is a ceiling, not a starting point.

9. The right to challenge poor service

From 2028 onwards (subject to commencement), every private landlord will be required to be a member of the PRS Landlord Ombudsman scheme. Tenants will be able to bring complaints about service, conduct, and disputes to the Ombudsman without going to court. The Ombudsman’s decisions will be binding on landlords.

10. The right to redress for unsafe conditions

A tenant who lives in a property with significant disrepair or hazards has several routes to redress:

• Section 11 / Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 — sue for damages and an order requiring repairs.
• Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 — sue if the property is not fit for human habitation.
• Local authority enforcement — improvement notices, prohibition orders, and civil penalties under the Housing Act 2004.
• Awaab’s Law (when extended to PRS) — strict timescales for action on hazards.

Practical advice for landlords

• Compliance is cheaper than enforcement. Each tenant right has at least one enforcement mechanism. The cumulative penalty exposure is substantial.
• Document everything. Keep records of safety certificates, deposit protection, prescribed information, the Information Sheet, the How to Rent guide. The landlord bears the burden of proof on most procedural points.
• Train your agents. An agent’s breach is the landlord’s breach for most purposes. Brief any agent acting on your behalf about the new framework.
• Treat tenant complaints seriously. Many enforcement actions begin with a tenant’s complaint to the local authority. A landlord who responds promptly and remediates avoids the formal process.