What Converted on 1 May 2026
On 1 May 2026, all existing assured shorthold tenancies in England automatically became assured periodic tenancies under the new framework created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. This happened by operation of law — no action was required by landlords or tenants for the conversion to occur.
The practical effect is that the new possession framework, rent increase rules, pet request obligations, and all other provisions of the Renters' Rights Act apply immediately to tenancies that were in existence on 1 May 2026 — not just to tenancies created after that date.
Changes That Applied Immediately on 1 May 2026
- Section 21 abolished — any Section 21 notice not yet acted upon (court proceedings not started by 31 July 2026) became invalid. All future possession claims must use Section 8.
- Periodic tenancy structure — all existing ASTs converted to monthly periodic tenancies. Fixed-term periods no longer apply.
- Tenant notice period — tenants can now end their tenancy by giving two months' notice at any time (previously restricted by fixed-term end dates).
- Pet request rules — any pet request from an existing tenant from 1 May 2026 must be handled under the new 28-day response framework.
- Rent increase rules — rent can only be increased once per 12 months via Section 13 notice, regardless of what existing tenancy agreements say.
- No-DSS discrimination prohibited — blanket refusal to renew or continue a tenancy because a tenant receives benefits is unlawful.
Deadlines That Have Already Passed
Two specific obligations for existing tenancies had deadlines that have now passed:
Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet — required to be served on all named tenants with existing assured tenancies by 31 May 2026. If you missed this, civil penalties of up to £7,000 per tenancy apply. Serve it now to stop a continuing breach penalty accruing.
Written tenancy terms for verbal agreements — where a tenancy was based on an oral agreement, written key terms had to be provided to the tenant by 31 May 2026.
If either of these deadlines was missed, serving the documents now — even late — limits your continuing exposure. The original breach cannot be undone, but demonstrating action reduces the risk of escalating penalties.
Ongoing Obligations
The following obligations now apply continuously to all existing tenancies:
- Valid Gas Safety Certificate — renewed annually, copy provided to tenant within 28 days of each check
- Valid EICR — renewed every 5 years or at change of tenancy
- Valid EPC rated E or above
- Deposit protected throughout the tenancy
- Rent increases via Section 13 only, maximum once per 12 months
- Pet requests handled within 28 days
- Registration with PRS Ombudsman when scheme opens
- Registration on PRS Database when it launches
What Happened to Fixed-Term Agreements
Fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies ceased to exist as a legal category from 1 May 2026. Tenancies that were in a fixed term on that date converted to periodic tenancies — the remaining fixed term period became irrelevant from that date.
This means tenants in existing fixed terms could, from 1 May 2026, give two months' notice to end the tenancy regardless of how long remained on the fixed term. Equally, landlords could no longer rely on the expiry of a fixed term as a trigger for possession — all possession now requires a Section 8 ground.
Do Agreements Need Updating?
Existing tenancy agreements do not need to be formally replaced. The conversion happened by law — the terms of the original agreement remain valid except where they conflict with the new legislation, in which case the legislation prevails.
However, it is good practice to provide existing long-term tenants with a written summary of the key changes — what their new notice rights are, how rent increases now work, and how to make a pet request if they want one. This manages expectations and reduces disputes.
For any new tenancy created after 1 May 2026, a written tenancy agreement covering all prescribed terms is required before the tenancy begins.
Summary Table — What Applies to Existing Tenancies
| Obligation | Applies to existing tenancies? | From when |
|---|---|---|
| Section 21 abolished | Yes | 1 May 2026 |
| Periodic tenancy structure | Yes — converted automatically | 1 May 2026 |
| Pet request rules | Yes | 1 May 2026 |
| Rent increase (Section 13 only) | Yes — once per 12 months | 1 May 2026 |
| RRA Information Sheet | Yes — deadline 31 May 2026 | Deadline passed |
| Written terms (verbal agreements) | Yes — deadline 31 May 2026 | Deadline passed |
| PRS Ombudsman registration | Yes — when scheme opens | Late 2026 (TBC) |
| PRS Database registration | Yes — when database launches | TBC |
| Gas Safety / EICR / EPC | Yes — unchanged | Already required |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my existing tenant leave more easily under the new rules?
Yes. Existing tenants converted to periodic tenancies from 1 May 2026 can give two months' notice to end the tenancy at any time. Previously, a tenant in a fixed term was bound until the term expired. This increases the theoretical risk of void periods but in a high-demand rental market this risk is typically low.
My existing tenancy agreement has a 'no pets' clause — is it still valid?
A blanket no-pets clause that prohibits pets entirely is unenforceable from 1 May 2026. You can include a clause requiring tenants to seek permission — this is valid and sensible — but you cannot refuse a properly made request without specific reasonable grounds.
Check What You Still Need to Do
The free compliance pack includes the Rental Reform Summary covering every obligation under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — including which apply to existing tenancies and which deadlines remain outstanding.
Get the Free Compliance Pack →