While the main implementation date for the Renters' Rights Act is May next year, as of December 27th, councils will get new investigatory powers including entering premises where tenancy records are kept, taking paperwork, devices, or anything linked to the tenancy, and demanding information from anyone involved in the tenancy in the past year, such as tradespeople, agents, contractors, or even past tenants.
"When the Renters Rights Act became law a few weeks ago, there was a lot of focus on landlords having to be ready for an implementation from May 1st next year," said David Adams, managing director of Chester-based estate and lettings agent Cavendish. "While this remains an important milestone, landlords also need to be ready for councils to start using their new investigatory powers, which come into effect before the end of this year."
"December is already traditionally a busy time of the year for landlords with a rush to ensure last-minute completions and tenancy renewals. Now they face the very real possibility of local authorities flexing their new muscles during the festive period. We have always advised landlords not to wait for the May 1st deadline and, instead, ensure all their processes and systems are fully compliant as soon as possible. The best approach is to see December 27th as the true deadline rather than delaying until May."
David recommends landlords take several steps, including making sure every tenancy file is complete and compliant, double-checking deposit protection, prescribed information, and evidence of service, pulling together all certificates, safety checks, and licensing documents in one watertight folder, checking that letting agents (if used) have done what they say and ensuring proof exists, and identifying any gaps now while there's still time to fix them quietly.
"The December 27th date comes at the worst possible time, somewhere between the Christmas leftovers and New Year's resolutions, but those who act now and take all the necessary steps to protect themselves and their portfolios will enter 2026 with confidence and peace of mind that they are fully compliant," added David.
Other major changes contained in the Renters Rights Act will only come into force from May 1st next year, including the abolition of Section 21 "no-fault" evictions with all fixed-term tenancies converting to rolling, periodic agreements.
Landlords will also face higher fines with civil penalties for non-compliance, starting at £7,000 and rising to a maximum civil penalty of up to £40,000.
A recent survey by Cavendish revealed that just 7% of landlords in the region are "fully prepared" for the launch of the act.
