Renters’ Rights Act enforcement split into breaches and offences
From 1st May 2026, enforcement of the new Renters’ Rights Act measures will be split into two categories of breaches and offences.
A local authority will be able to impose fines on you, letting agents or anyone acting on your behalf (other than a qualified legal representative) and could be given a financial penalty of up to £7,000 if you have committed one or more of the following breaches:
Claim to let the property on a fixed-term tenancy instead of a rolling tenancy – Claim to end a tenancy verbally – Require a tenancy to be ended verbally – Fail to give a tenant written notice that a specified ground might be used where this is required by law – Fail to give a written statement of terms containing the information required by regulations – Fail to give existing tenants an information sheet which tells them about changes made by the Act – Use a possession ground in a section 8 notice, ‘purported’ notice of possession or claim form when you do not reasonably believe that a possession order will be granted by the court on that ground – Try to end the tenancy using a ‘notice to quit’ or purported notice of possession.
From 1 May 2026, you could be given a financial penalty of up to £40,000 as an alternative to prosecution if you are found to have committed one or more of the following offences:
Relet or remarketed a property within the 12 month no relet and remarketing ‘restricted period’ after using statutory grounds for possession 1 or 1A, unless you took all reasonable steps not to or an exception applies
Knowingly used a ground for possession despite knowing that a court would not order possession on it, or being reckless about that, resulting in the tenant leaving within four months without an order for possession being made
Committed a breach within five years of a previous offence
Committed a breach within five years of receiving a financial penalty for a previous breach that has not been withdrawn
Continued to commit a breach for more than 28 days after receiving a financial penalty for that breach that has not been withdrawn and is not the subject of an ongoing appeal.
The above does not cover all possible breaches and offences.
Judith
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Countdown to the Renters' Rights Act deadline begins
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 365
8:50 AM, 2nd April 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Wobsy Clayton at 02/04/2026 – 04:11
At least someone has seen exactly what this country has now become.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 365
8:51 AM, 2nd April 2026, About 1 week ago
At least someone has seen exactly what this country has now become.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 365
8:52 AM, 2nd April 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Cognito at 02/04/2026 – 00:35
Just read the Renters rights Bill on the government website.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 365
9:07 AM, 2nd April 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Tim at 01/04/2026 – 22:52
Beautifully put.The RRB fines are totally out of all proportion, but as you say I can’t see anyone at Kensington and Chelsea council, who are ultimately responsible carrying the can..In my experience it is not the directors of any tenant’s association that are responsible because they rely on so called professional property managers with fancy letters after their names, who i have found to be generally very slow or even negligent. Worse still is the apathy from MPs when they are alerted to safety issues like this.
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3508 - Articles: 5
10:10 AM, 2nd April 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by David at 01/04/2026 – 17:53
I think not. If you were correct then there would be some kind of info as to the length it has to be ‘on the market’ for. before being deemed ‘unable to sell’.
As I understand and read it, if you evict to sell under the new ground then regardless of what happens, you cannot list for re-let until 12 months AFTER you get possession (and this does not include any time taken to gain possession in the first place!)
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2188 - Articles: 2
10:28 AM, 2nd April 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 02/04/2026 – 10:10
An excellent, dare I say proportionate, policy to implement when we have a lack of accommodation. Well done HMG.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 365
11:58 AM, 2nd April 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 02/04/2026 – 10:10
I am only reporting what a letting agent told me and as I added later, perhaps some sharp lawyer may have suggested there is a way to relet if a landlord is unable to sell. I mentioned this so that landlords could raise with their letting agents.
Member Since January 2020 - Comments: 134
12:53 PM, 3rd April 2026, About 6 days ago
Reply to the comment left by David at 02/04/2026 – 08:52
You need to define “rogue scamming tenant” and work out which one or more Section 8 Ground to use for possession.
Selling up Ground 1A is 4 months notice not before 8 months after start of tenancy.
I don’t know where you get 16 months from.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 365
2:03 PM, 3rd April 2026, About 6 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Cognito at 03/04/2026 – 12:53
Don’t you think a tenant who sees the opportunity to receive free accommodation from a landlord is a rogue scamming tenant and from all accounts these people do exist.Perhaps not and before you ask by all accounts these people do exist.
From the UK gov website.”Tenants will benefit from a 12 month protected period at the beginning of the tenancy during which landlords cannot evict them to move in or sell the property.Landlords will need to give 4 months’ notice when using these grounds”
Therefore I conclude they can not be evicted for 16 months “at least”.Add to this probable court delays because this Labour government is so useless and desperate to push this Bill through it couldn’t even
clear up the court backlog.
I would add why have they protected tenancies for the first 12 months yet removed fixed tenancies for 12 months.More Labour govt nonsense.
Secondly why the 2 tier justice by making landlords wait so long to regain property “they own and have legal title to”.If the Landlord requires to move in or has financial difficulties and needs to sell they don’t seem to have the same sympathy as tenants.This Labour govt bends over backwards for tenants in order to convince us they are being protected from homelessness , but the same consideration does not apply to landlords, who as far as they are concerned can become homeless and bankrupt.
Vote chasing of course.
Member Since June 2024 - Comments: 5
7:42 AM, 4th April 2026, About 6 days ago
Reply to the comment left by David at 01/04/2026 – 11:25
Reform are talking the talk and was going to vote for them, but it’s becoming clearer every day that the policies will not come about. Yes they have said they would abolish the new renters act ? And also abolish the climate warming scam, and yes on these two policies it’s worth voting on. I think if we get to a position of needing a tenant out ! You don’t need to wait 12 months to sell. That is what I would do. Landlord know we ourself are being scammed it’s a pity all these media did not help us more, RNLA, Property 115 and uk housing. The worst part I can see is allowing a council person to demand entry to property and to have to tell a tenant to let them in. I remember now when so called gas and electric men entering a premises and with there false IDs robbing peoples homes.