New Legislation for Landlords: What’s Changing and What You Need to Do

Keeping up with new legislation for landlords can feel like a moving target, but understanding your legal responsibilities is one of the most effective ways to help protect your rental business.

Being a landlord is more than collecting rent at the end of each month. Under new legislation for landlords, you have a legal obligation to provide tenants with a home that meets strict criteria outlined by the government.

This means meeting health and safety standards, protecting deposits correctly, respecting tenants’ rights, and treating all tenants fairly. Keeping up with new laws for landlords should help you stay on the right side of these obligations, whether you’re managing one property or several.

Refusal or negligence to meet these standards might lead to fines or, in more serious cases, court proceedings. Understanding landlord legislation as it stands, and how it continues to change, may help you avoid these outcomes.

Before letting a property, you may need consent from your lender, insurer, or freeholder. Letting a property without the suitable consent in place might breach your mortgage terms or invalidate your insurance policy.
Accidental landlords should pay particular attention to this requirement: those who find themselves renting out a property they hadn’t originally planned to let. For example, you’ve inherited a property, moved in with a partner, or relocated for work and are renting your previous home. If this applies to you, check your consent requirements before advertising the property. This is one of several examples of laws for landlords that often get overlooked until a claim or a mortgage review brings them to light.

Upon receiving a deposit, you need to place it in one of the three government-backed deposit protection schemes (DPS) within 30 days and provide tenants with information on the scheme within the same timeframe.

The three DPS schemes are:

• Deposit Protection Service
• Tenant Deposit Scheme
• mydeposits

Failing to follow the process means you’ll need to contact one of the registered DPS providers and explain the situation. Failing to do so further may result in a fine of up to three times the original tenant deposit. It may also cause issues should you need to evict your tenant in the future, for whatever reason.

Under the Tenant Fees Act (TFA), you may only charge tenants permitted fees – rent, a holding deposit, a security deposit, and additional costs such as council tax, utilities, or a TV licence, where applicable.

Charging a prohibited fee, such as an administration or referencing fee for right to rent checks or drawing up a tenancy, may lead to a fine. These caps make up part of the wider laws for landlords designed to protect tenants from unreasonable upfront costs.

Deposit caps also apply under the TFA. If the annual rent is below £50,000, the maximum chargeable deposit is five weeks’ rent. If the annual rent is £50,000 or above, this rises to six weeks’ rent. Charging above these caps may leave you open to a penalty.

Alongside the wider body of laws for landlords, there’s a separate set of rules covering the physical condition and safety of your property.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is the government’s method for assessing potential hazards in rental properties, from damp and mould to fire risks and structural issues. Local authorities use it to check whether a property provides safe, habitable living conditions. They may take enforcement action if serious hazards are found.

All rental accommodation in the UK needs to meet certain, strict criteria before it may be let. Failing to meet these standards may lead to fines, enforcement action, or difficulty if you need to regain possession of the property.

To stay compliant, all rental properties should have:

• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: You should fit a working smoke alarm on every floor. You should install a carbon monoxide detector in every room containing a solid-fuel-burning appliance, such as a wood burner or coal fire.
• Fire safety: Any upholstered furniture provided should meet the required fire safety standards.
• You should supply tenants with an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
• Gas safety: An annual check by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and you should provide tenants with the certificate within 28 days.

These requirements make up some of the most established new laws for landlords, and non-compliance is one of the most common reasons landlords face enforcement action.

Landlords are legally required to provide tenants with a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), rating how energy efficient the property is. In England and Wales, rentals need a minimum EPC rating of E to legally let a property, rising to a minimum of C from 1st October 2030. As this area continues to evolve ahead of the deadline, budgeting early for upgrade costs is a sensible approach.

Landlord insurance can help cover the cost of certain property repairs. However, when investing in a property, it’s worth ensuring your budget factors in ongoing maintenance costs too.

The government currently applies Awaab’s Law only to the social rented sector, requiring landlords to investigate hazards such as damp and mould within set timescales, and address emergency hazards, such as a total heating or hot water failure, urgently.

Awaab’s Law for private landlords doesn’t yet apply, but the government has confirmed that it will extend Awaab’s Law to the private rental sector. While the timeline is still to be confirmed, acting promptly on damp and mould reports, keeping clear records, and checking ventilation regularly may help you stay ahead of Awaab’s Law for private landlords when it takes effect.

Right to Rent checks require you to confirm that a prospective tenant has the legal right to live in the UK before letting them a property. This applies to all adult occupiers aged 18 and over, regardless of whether they’re named on the tenancy agreement.

To carry out a check, you’ll need to see original documents, such as a passport or biometric residence permit, or use the Home Office’s online checking service if the tenant provides a share code. Keep a dated, clear copy of all documentation checked.

Failing to carry out required checks may leave you liable for a civil penalty of up to £5,000 per lodger or £10,000 per occupier for a first breach, rising to £10,000 or £20,000 for a repeat breach within three years.

Several landlord checking services exist to help you carry out checks correctly and keep the right records.

Apply Right to Rent checks consistently to every prospective tenant, regardless of nationality. Selectively applying checks may leave you vulnerable to a discrimination claim.

For more details on carrying out these checks correctly, see our guide to the Right to Rent scheme.

Depending on where your rental property is located, you may need a selective or additional licence from your local council before you let it out.

Local authorities usually apply selective licensing across designated areas, while additional licensing typically targets Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) that fall outside mandatory HMO rules. Councils set different licensing requirements, so check directly with your local authority. Letting without a required licence may lead to a fine or other enforcement action.

As a landlord, you must provide tenants with a continuous, dependable source of clean, running water, making it your responsibility to assess the risk of Legionella bacteria at the property.

A Legionella risk assessment doesn’t need to be carried out by a specialist in most residential settings, though it’s worth documenting what you’ve checked. Practical steps may include flushing the water system between tenancies, especially if the property has been vacant, and checking the hot water cylinder is set to a suitable temperature to help control bacterial growth.

Keeping a simple record of checks and any action taken may help demonstrate compliance if it’s ever questioned. Find out more about landlord accidental damage insurance on our site.

The following changes make up some of the most significant new landlord legislation introduced in recent years.

The Renters’ Rights Act(RRA) brought significant tenancy reforms into force on 1st May 2026 and stands as one of the most far-reaching pieces of new landlord legislation in decades. For full details, read our Renters’ Right Act guide; otherwise, here’s a summary of the key changes:

• Section 21 “no-fault” evictions have been abolished.
• Fixed-term tenancies have ended, with assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) converting into open-ended, rolling periodic tenancies.
• New possession grounds apply under Section 8.
• Rental bidding wars are banned. Listings are required to state a fixed asking rent, and it’s against the RRA to invite offers above that price.
• Rent may only be increased once per year, using the Section 13 notification process. Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements are no longer valid.
• Blanket bans on renting to a certain tenant type have been removed.
• Tenants may request to keep a pet, and you may only refuse if you have reasonable, evidence-backed justification.
• For tenancies starting before 1 May 2026, you needed to supply the Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026; for tenancies starting on or after 1 May 2026, give tenants written information about the terms of their tenancy before they sign. Not meeting either requirement may lead to a fine of up to £7,000, and breaches on or after 1 May 2026 could see the local authority impose a civil penalty of up to £7,000, or up to £40,000 if it’s an offence.

Landlords who offer properties under an assured tenancy must ensure those properties meet the Decent Homes Standard, covering condition, safety, and facilities.

The government withdrew the How to Rent guide on 1 May 2026 as part of these reforms. Landlords should now rely on the Information Sheet 2026 or a written statement of terms, as outlined above, to meet their information obligations to tenants.

Always follow the correct legal process when seeking possession. Taking matters into your own hands, even with good reason, may leave you liable for illegal eviction or harassment.

Changing locks, cutting off utilities, or entering the property without the tenant’s consent may count as illegal eviction or harassment, regardless of intentions. You should give tenants a minimum of 24 hours’ notice before visiting and respect their right to quiet enjoyment throughout the tenancy.

Since Section 21 was abolished, all possession claims should go through a valid Section 8 ground. Find further guidance here.

Retaliatory Eviction Protection (REP) was designed to stop landlords using Section 21 to evict a tenant shortly after a legitimate disrepair complaint.

With Section 21 abolished, landlords can expect closer scrutiny of their grounds for possession under Section 8. Acting on repair requests promptly and keeping clear records remains the suitable way to help avoid disputes. Our landlord liability insurance page explains more about cover for legal costs relating to compensation claims.

It’s crucial to pay the correct amount of tax on your rental income. Getting this wrong may prompt HMRC to audit your business, and in serious cases, lead to court proceedings for suspected tax evasion.

The government issues annual deadlines for registering for self-assessment and submitting your tax return. Missing these may lead to penalties, so mark them in your calendar well in advance. Guidance is available online and via phone, and you may want to consider hiring an accountant, particularly with multiple properties or a more complex tax position.

Tax updates: If you’re an unincorporated landlord and your gross self-employment and rental income exceeded £50,000 in the 2024-25 tax year, you’re now required to follow Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, submitting quarterly digital records to HMRC rather than relying solely on annual self-assessment.

Tax rules are just one more strand of new legislation for landlords to track. Staying on top of this across tax, tenancy, and property safety doesn’t need to be overwhelming if you keep clear records and check updates regularly.

Where you’re unsure, checking directly with the relevant government body or a qualified professional is the suitable next step, particularly as new laws for landlords in 2026 continue.

The sole purpose of this article is to provide guidance on the issues covered. This article is not intended to give legal advice, and, accordingly, it should not be relied upon. It should not be regarded as a comprehensive statement of the law and/or market practice in this area.

We make no claims as to the completeness or accuracy of the information contained herein or in the links which were live at the date of publication. You should not act upon (or should refrain from acting upon) information in this publication without first seeking specific legal and/or specialist advice. Just Landlords trading as Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited accepts no liability for any inaccuracy, omission or mistake in this publication, nor will we be responsible for any loss which may be suffered as a result of any person relying on the information contained herein.