MPs are scheduled to begin the final stage of the Renters’ Rights Bill on 8 September 2025, when the legislation returns to the Commons after its pre‑summer debates in the Lords. Further amendments are possible and could trigger parliamentary ‘ping‑pong’, but given the large Labour majority, most observers expect the ministers’ wishes to prevail.

Whilst the Bill will very soon become law, there are still few clear deadlines or timetables for implementation.

Overview of new measures

As things stand, sector briefing notes outline a significant package of changes. The new tenancy system is set to be introduced in a single step: periodic tenancies will become the norm, Section 21 will be abolished, and reformed grounds for possession will apply to all tenancies at the same time. While this is expected to be among the earliest changes after Royal Assent, no formal dates have been confirmed.

Student lets are treated differently: purpose‑built student accommodation (registered with government‑approved codes) remains on fixed terms, while HMO landlords letting to full‑time students gain a new mandatory Ground 4A to recover possession for reletting to students – provided tenants are told in writing before the tenancy starts.

Notice periods under the reworked possession grounds will generally be either four weeks or four months; where owners seek possession to move in themselves (Ground 1) or to sell (Ground 1A), tenants will benefit from longer timeframes and landlords will need to evidence their intention. A ‘no‑reletting’ period is proposed, though whether this will be six or 12 months remains undecided.

On rent and marketing practices, advance rent is to be capped at one month, and rental bidding will be outlawed – landlords and agents must advertise an asking rent and cannot accept offers above it.

Rent increases will be limited to once per year and must be served using a standard government template form once available. Tribunals will continue to determine whether a proposed rent reflects the market.

In parallel, every private landlord in England will have to join a new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman “as soon as possible” after Royal Assent, and a national PRS database will follow via secondary legislation defining what information is collected and what becomes public.

The Bill also extends the Decent Homes Standard and ‘Awaab’s Law’ to the PRS, with separate consultation material indicating full implementation in the future.

Landlords demand implementation must be credible

Against this backdrop, the National Residential Landlords Association warns that the rental market’s recovery is fragile. Its recent polling indicates that 71% of members still face strong tenant demand, while just 2% express confidence in the wider economy ahead of the Autumn Budget – equal to the lowest level on record in that series. The association is urging ministers to back investment in decent new homes for rent and to publish a clear, realistic timetable for transition so the sector can adapt smoothly.

Chief executive Ben Beadle comments: “Tenants across the country continue to face the reality of there not being enough homes to meet demand. Meanwhile, the sector is craving certainty about how the Government plans to implement the biggest overhaul of the market for almost 40 years.

“Now is the moment for ministers to get behind a clear, credible plan that eases pressure on renters, supports investment in new homes to rent, and ensures the smooth implementation of the Renters’ Rights Bill.”