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Tenant Rights Act The law has been made. This new law aims to improve the private rental experience England By providing increased security and stability to tenants. Measures include ending Section 21 “no fault” evictions, enabling tenants to challenge poor practice and unfair rent increases without fear of eviction.
19% of UK households now live in private rental England – This share is double what it was in the early 2000s – the pressures facing tenants have never been greater.
Recent figures show that there are 21 people competing for every rental property, with the average monthly private rental rising by 5.8% to £1,403 in August 2025. At the same time, there is an exodus from the rental market by private landlords, with 31% of landlords reporting reducing the size of their rental portfolio by 2026, and 16% planning to sell all of their properties. This is increasing the demand for rental properties.
In such a competitive market, tenants often occupy properties in a hurry, without fully understanding their rights or the responsibilities of their landlords. Yet the legal landscape is complex, with a plethora of existing and upcoming regulations. Some landlords struggle to keep up with their obligations, posing a risk to tenants who simply need somewhere to live.
These are the steps you should take before signing a tenancy agreement England,
1. Check you can – and afford – rent
The government suggests that rent should be 30% or less of gross income, or 35% of take-home pay. You should also ensure that you have proof of your right to rent if necessary.
2. Make sure you know who your landlord is
They may be a letting agency, a private landlord or a company. All agencies must be part of the Redress Scheme and you should check that they are members of the Client Money Protection Scheme. A private landlord or company should be asked to provide proof of ownership to avoid online rental fraud. You can check ownership from the Land Registry.
3. Check the terms of the tenancy agreement
The most common form of tenancy agreement currently is the assured shorthold tenancy, which lasts for a fixed period (usually six or 12 months). You may also have a periodic or rolling tenancy. There will be different notice periods for both if you want to end your tenancy.
Check tenancy start and end dates, landlord and tenant names, property address, rent level, rent reviews and any additional bills you are responsible for.
About the author
Jan Wilcox is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster.
This article is republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons license. read the original article,
4. Keep track of fees
Don’t pay fees for a credit check or to set up a tenancy agreement. You may wish to pay a refundable holding deposit which should not exceed one week’s rent. All other charges are banned. This is different from the security deposit that will be held by a government approved provider. The refundable holding deposit will usually be credited against your first month’s rent.
Ask for details of the tenancy deposit scheme before paying any money. Your deposits are only safe when held by a government approved provider. The maximum deposit the landlord can ask for is, in most cases, limited to five weeks’ rent.
5. Request Documents
Ask for a copy of the How to Hire Guide, Gas Safety Certificate (if relevant) and Energy Performance Certificate. The landlord is legally required to submit these documents. You should also be given a copy of your signed tenancy agreement.
6. Check the condition of the property thoroughly
Ask for an inventory that records the contents and condition of the property. Arrange with the landlord to inspect the property to make sure you agree on the listing, then both sign off on it. Take time-stamped photos if there are areas of disagreement.
Make sure there are working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and that you have been given an electrical installation condition report before moving in.
Once you’re in business
Your landlord, or their agent, should always be your first point of contact. You should keep detailed records of any requests or complaints made and the response received. If problems persist, there are a number of organizations that can provide assistance, advice or solutions, depending on the nature of the dispute. Shelter in these, citizens adviceCivil legal advice, National Trading Standards, Property Ombudsman, Property Redress Scheme, First Tier Property Tribunal and your local authority environmental health department.
These bodies will advise on or impose penalties which will range widely and depend on the intent, seriousness and recurrence of the offences. Currently, these can include ordering the landlord to work through improvement or prohibition notices, fines of up to £30,000, imprisonment of up to two years and orders for repayment of rent of up to one year.
Whether a new tenant or an existing tenant, it has never been more important to be fully informed and up to date on new developments in the law. Although we cannot predict the full impact of the new law, there is no doubt that fines for landlords will increase. All tenants, no matter how long they have been renting, are able to obtain compensation for poor performance by the “rascals and chancers” who undercut good landlords.