The beginning of November marked six months since the Renters’ Rights Act came into force on May 1. It brought the biggest changes to the sector in decades, including ending fixed tenancies and section 21 no-fault evictions. But six months on, what has the impact been and what’s next?
The impact of the initial changes
The first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act implemented new controls over rent prices, disallowing rental bidding and ensuring that the price advertised is what is ultimately charged. It also limited rental increases. But supply and demand economics has meant prices have continued to rise regardless, up 3.8% to £1,406 in the twelve months to September 2026, according to the Office of National Statistics.
Meanwhile, Rightmove’s Q3 rental trends tracker report illustrates further proof of the pressures on supply, showing that the number of available rental homes available nationally is down 2% on last year and down 9% in London.
What’s next for the RRA?
Phase two of the Renters’ Rights Act begins next month with the launch of the phased regional rollout of registration for the new private rented landlord database, which landlords will be legally required to add their details to if they have a property currently under let or that will become let during the rollout period. Rollout will begin with the West Midlands from mid-December with a three-month window in which to register.
It will be followed by East of England, meaning that landlords in Peterborough will have between 15 January and 14 April in which to register. Registration deadlines are based on where your property is located, rather than where you live. The South West will be the last region to roll out, with a go-live date of 15 August 2027 and a deadline of 14 November.
You will need to register both yourself and your property, paying an annual £65 registration fee per property and renewing the registration each year. If it’s an HMO, you register the whole property rather than individual rooms.
The fee will be adjusted so that early adopters like those in Peterborough don’t pay more than other regions that fall later in the rollout. Failure to register your property could result in a fine of up to £7,000.
Information required includes property details, such as address and number of bedrooms, as well as the number of tenants, rent charged and evidence of safety information, such as gas safety records and Electrical Condition Reports, and HMO licences. Contact details must also be provided.
The service will be developed as it evolves into the database outlined in the Renters’ Rights Act. This will mean that eventually more details will be required and the information will also become accessible to the public.
Phase three – Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law
Phase two also includes the introduction of the PRS Landlord Ombudsman, which landlords will also need to belong to, which is expected to launch in 2028. Phase three of the Renters’ Rights Act, meanwhile, will see the introduction of the Decent Homes Standard to the PRS – proposed for 2035 or 2037 – and the introduction of Awaab’s Law to the PRS. The consultation processes for each are ongoing but will be the next step in improving the quality of PRS provision – the key aim of the Renters’ Rights Act in the first place.
We Can Help
At Progressive Lets, we are experts in the rental market in the Peterborough area and help landlords find and manage properties within a 50-mile radius. We are also an HMO specialist. Get in touch to find out more.
