THE SHORT ANSWER
Since 1 May 2026, section 21 “no-fault” evictions are gone in England, every private tenancy is periodic, and rent can only go up once a year. Next comes the landlord database: registration starts rolling out from 15 December 2026, costs £65 per property per year, and every landlord in England needs to be on it by November 2027.
What actually changed on 1 May 2026?
Quite a lot, all at once. If you let property in England, these are the changes that matter day to day:
- No more section 21. To get a property back you now need a section 8 notice and a valid legal ground.
- No more fixed terms. Tenancies run month to month, and tenants can leave with two months’ notice.
- One rent increase a year, with at least two months’ notice.
- No rental bidding. You let at the advertised rent, and you can ask for no more than one month’s rent in advance.
Can I still sell, or move back in?
Yes, using the new grounds for possession, with conditions attached. You can’t use them in the first 12 months of a tenancy, you need to give at least four months’ notice, and you can’t re-let the property for 12 months afterwards. Breaking that last rule can lead to a council fine of up to £40,000. So “selling” had better mean selling.
For rent arrears, the mandatory ground now needs three months’ arrears rather than two, and the notice period has doubled from two weeks to four.
What’s coming next?
The new Private Rented Sector Database, officially called “Register your rental property”. According to the NRLA:
- Rollout starts on 15 December 2026 in the West Midlands, then moves region by region over 12 months.
- Each region gets a three-month window to register, and everyone must be registered by 14 November 2027.
- It costs £65 per property, per year.
- Landlords have to register themselves. Your agent can’t do it for you.
- Penalties for not registering go up to £7,000, rising to £40,000 for repeated breaches.
After that, a landlord ombudsman is expected around 2028, and the target of an EPC rating of C by 2030 is still on the horizon.
What should landlords be doing now?
Get your paperwork into the sort of order you’d happily show a stranger: gas, electrical and EPC certificates, licences and tenancy records. The database will ask for most of it, and it’s much easier to gather before your region’s three months start than during them.
This is general information, not legal advice. Every tenancy is different, so speak to a solicitor about your own situation.
Questions people actually ask
Can landlords in England still use section 21?
No. Section 21 was abolished from 1 May 2026. Landlords now need to serve a section 8 notice and rely on one of the legal grounds for possession.
When do I need to register on the landlord database?
Rollout starts on 15 December 2026, region by region. Each region gets a three-month window, and all landlords in England must be registered by 14 November 2027. The fee is £65 per property per year.
Can I sell a property with a tenant in it?
Yes. You can sell with the tenant in place, or use the new selling ground. That ground can’t be used in the first 12 months of the tenancy, needs at least four months’ notice, and stops you re-letting for 12 months.
