The Renters’ Rights Bill Receives Royal Assent

What Does it Mean and What Should Landlords in South London Expect Now?

After all the to and fro, debate, revision, expectation, squashing and subsequent resurrection, delay, disagreement, speculation and, from some, even panic, the Renters’ Rights Bill has at last received Royal Assent, becoming law on 27th October 2025.

It is an Act of Parliament that marks the biggest change to the private rented sector in almost 40 years. But whilst it’s true to say, ‘it is now law’, this does not in fact mean any immediate change.

What was a Bill is now an Act – but this does not mean that the new rules it will usher in will take effect immediately. In fact, very little changes right now.

What we do have though, at long last, is some certainty about what is coming.

What we do not yet have, and what the industry is calling for, is clarity about the when.

What is Royal Assent?

Royal Assent is the final step in the legislative process. It means that the Renters’ Rights Bill has passed through Parliament and is now officially an ‘Act of Parliament’, now known as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Its contents can’t now be changed (actually, that isn’t true – but they can’t be changed without a legal challenge or further legislative amendments). Nevertheless, what is important to understand is that its provisions will not come into force straight away.

Instead, the government will set out an implementation timeline, expected to roll out in phases, with most expecting this likely starting in early 2026.

That means there’s a window for landlords in South London to get ahead of the curve: to prepare systems, review documentation, and ensure their properties and processes are fully compliant before the changes come into play.

What will change for South London landlords?

Once the Act begins to take effect, it will introduce a host of reforms aimed at reshaping the private rented sector. These include, but are not limited to:

• Abolition of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, replaced with revised Section 8 possession grounds.
• All tenancies becoming periodic by default, removing fixed terms in most cases.
• A new Decent Homes Standard for private rentals – the roll out of Awaab’s Law (which came into force on Monday 27 October 2025), to also take in privately rented properties, rather than being limited to social housing – see gov.uk
• A ban on rental bidding wars with rent being capped at what the marketed asking rent is
• Limit on rent in advance, which will be capped at one month.
• Mandatory written tenancy agreements and clearer rent review rules.
• A new Private Rented Sector (PRS) database that every landlord must join.
• A national Ombudsman scheme to handle complaints.
• Pets must be considered and can’t be refused without legitimate good reason.
• Tougher enforcement powers and higher civil penalties for non-compliance — with fines of up to £40,000.

It’s a major overhaul of the rental landscape. But as mentioned, it will not all happen at once, and nothing will change immediately.

 

When will the Renters’ Rights Act come into force?

The Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, has said landlords and tenants will be given “sufficient notice” before any part of the Act is implemented. Industry bodies such as the NRLA are pushing for at least six months’ notice once the timeline is published.

That would mean that the first wave of reforms is unlikely to be seen before early to mid-2026, whilst some measures, such as the Decent Homes Standard and the full PRS database, could potentially be years away.

The headlines you’re seeing might suggest that “change is here,” but the truth is certainly more nuanced: we are at the start of a transition, not the end of one.

What landlords in South London should do now

The biggest mistake landlords can make right now is assuming they can “wait and see.”
Those who start preparing early will find the transition smoother, and in our view will benefit from increased tenant confidence and reduced risk.

Here’s what proactive landlords should focus on in the months ahead:

1. Get your paperwork in order

Ensure every tenancy has a written agreement. It’s one of the simplest ways to protect yourself. Check that deposit protection, prescribed information, safety certificates and rent records are all up to date and easily accessible. There were reasons to have done this under existing legislation in any case, and any and every property that we manage will already be secure in these measures – but those who have let out privately should certainly review their agreements and deposits to make sure these are correctly written, documented, and deposits lodged and certificated.

2. Review your property standards

The Decent Homes Standard might be something for the future from a legal point of view, but from a moral point of view why would anyone wait? Now’s the perfect time to inspect your properties for damp, mould, and other hazards, particularly in any older housing stock in South London. It allows you to correct any immediate issues and plan any long-term maintenance or upgrades before these rules truly tighten.

3. Audit your tenant referencing and management processes

If you use a letting and managing agent such as we at Your Home Managed, you will (almost certainly) be covered. If this has been something you do yourself as a private landlord, ensure your referencing procedures, rent collection systems, and potentially your complaint handling are watertight. The new Ombudsman system will demand clear communication, full records and transparent processes. Again, a letting agent such as we are should be part of an Ombudsman or other redress scheme already.

4. Keep an eye on your Section 21 notices

If you currently have live Section 21 or Section 8 notices, be aware that these will only remain valid for a short period (around three months) after the new Act begins to take effect. It is why clarity on the timing of the Act’s roll-out really matters and why the industry is putting pressure on Mr Pennycook to outline the government’s timetable to bring these reforms fully into force. Nevertheless, it is also why landlords should plan ahead rather than risk being caught mid-transition.

5. Stay informed

Once the Government publishes its implementation roadmap, things may move more quickly than landlords expect – despite any calls by the NRLA for a six month implementation period. It is useful to subscribe to updates from trusted industry sources, such as the NRLA or Propertymark, or of course official GOV.UK channels. Or, of course, stay tuned to our own social media updates and this blog, as we will certainly make sure you’re kept advised, and that you can act on facts, not rumours.

Hidden risks – and opportunities

So much of the noise around this new Act has focused on the abolition of Section 21 in particular – but really, the wider long-term shift lies in better, more rigorous enforcement and greater transparency.

Local authorities are going to be given stronger inspection powers, and failure to comply with documentation or database rules will carry steep penalties. For smaller private landlords in South London, it means that better record-keeping and proactive compliance will be non-negotiable.

But there’s also an opportunity here. There has been much said about the number of landlords who have been so concerned by the changing legislation that they plan to exit the market, with a report in the property industry’s The Negotiator magazine suggesting that as many as one in three landlords still plan to quit the sector.

It is likely to be fewer, when reality hits, but nevertheless professional and well-prepared landlords (and, indeed, letting agents) stand to benefit, with reduced competition, stronger tenant demand, and a reputation for doing things right.

 

The bottom line

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 brings some long-awaited clarity to what has, for years, felt like a hovering spectre. We can finally begin to plot out what the future of lettings will look like – even though we may not yet know exactly when it will be rolled out, or in what stages.

For landlords in South London, our advice is straightforward:

• Don’t panic.
• Don’t switch off.
• Do get prepared.

Those who are committed to making these changes work will do just fine. Early action is only about practical checks and worthwhile tweaks, at this stage: review your tenancies, tighten up any lax compliance, and crucially make sure that you find a way to stay informed, especially if you are not already managed by a professional agent.

Do these things and it will allow you to move through this transition with confidence, ready to adapt as soon as any new rules take effect.

The Renters’ Rights Act changes much about how landlords must operate, but it doesn’t actually much change what makes a good landlord, or a good agent, stand out for being great: professionalism, communication, and care for the homes and for the people in those homes that they look after.