Renters' Rights Act: the five changes Stoke landlords must action this year
Fixed terms are gone, Section 21 is history and the compliance bar has moved. Here's what the new regime actually requires of you — and how to stay comfortably on the right side of it.
The Renters' Rights Act is now the operating system of English lettings, and it rewired the fundamentals: no more fixed-term tenancies, no more Section 21, and a Decent Homes standard with teeth. Most Stoke landlords we manage for needed less change than the headlines suggested — but the five below are non-negotiable.
1. Every tenancy is now periodic
Fixed terms have been abolished — all tenancies run month to month from day one. Tenants can leave with two months' notice; you can only end a tenancy on the statutory grounds (sale, moving in yourself, arrears, antisocial behaviour). Your tenancy agreements, renewal habits and cash-flow assumptions all need to reflect that.
2. Possession means Section 8 grounds — evidenced properly
With Section 21 gone, possession stands or falls on the strength of your Section 8 grounds and your paperwork. Rent statements, notice service records and protected deposits aren't admin any more — they're your evidence bundle. This is where professional management earns its fee.
3. Rent rises: once a year, by notice, challengeable
Rent can rise once per year via the statutory notice procedure, and tenants can refer an increase to the tribunal. Ad-hoc mid-year rises and 'sign or leave' renewals are finished. Build your review into the anniversary and benchmark it against real local lets — tribunal-proof beats optimistic.
4. The Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law now apply to you
Damp, mould and hazard complaints carry fixed response deadlines, and the property must meet the Decent Homes Standard throughout the tenancy — not just on day one. Our managed landlords get compliance tracked automatically; self-managing landlords need a system, not a shoebox of certificates.
5. Register on the PRS database — and expect to prove it
Landlord registration on the national private rented sector database is rolling out, and marketing a property without it will attract penalties. Get registered early, keep your entry current, and keep the confirmation with your gas, electrical and EPC records.
If any of the five made you wince, that's what we're here for. Keyfold's fully-managed service was built for the post-Act market — talk to our lettings team and sleep properly again.