As of the 1st of May 2026 the Renters’ Rights Act will come into play in England. While much of the Renters’ Rights Act (formerly known as the Renters’ Reform Bill) applies only to England, there are several provisions which will have implications for landlords in Wales.
What is the Renters’ Rights Act?
The Renters’ Rights Act constitutes a major reform of the private renting sector and looks to improve the current system in place for both renters and landlords. The main aim of the Act, as per gov.uk is to ‘give renters much greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness.’
What will be the major changes of the Renters’ Rights Act?
The major changes of the act will be as follows:
- The abolition of no-fault evictions (England will end Section 21-style evictions and require landlords to provide evidential ground for possession).
- All periodic tenancies becoming periodic only, with tenants able to leave with two months’ notice.
- Stronger controls on rent increases and new housing standards.
How the Renters’ Rights Act will affect landlords in Wales
Although much of the new Act applies only to England, several provisions will impact landlords in Wales, and the divergence between the two nations’ rental systems will become more noticeable over the coming months.
England’s new system will ultimately offer tenants around 16 months of minimum security of tenure, compared to 12 months in Wales, due to different notice requirements. These changes shift tenant expectations across the UK—even where the law differs—so Welsh landlords may see changing tenant behaviours, increased scrutiny, and more comparisons between England and Wales.
However the main material change will be in New Anti-Discrimination Rules, with Wales adopting new protections prohibiting landlords from discriminating against prospective or existing contract‑holders because they:
- Have children, or
- Receive means‑tested benefits.
These new offences will be incorporated directly into the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, and breaches may lead to fines. Landlords may still conduct affordability checks, but not on the basis of children or benefit status.
How Wales will differ after the Renters’ Rights Act
Following these reforms, Wales will become the only GB nation where landlords can still issue no-fault eviction notices, though we retain the longest notice period – six months, with these notices only able to be issued after the fixed term contract has ended. Landlords should expect:
- Increasing public and political attention on Welsh no‑fault evictions.
- Potential future Welsh reforms inspired by England’s changes.
While our regulatory framework does not change at the same scale as England’s, Rent Smart Wales continues to enforce registration, licensing, inspections and compliance duties. In fact, their newsletters have highlighted such things as enforcement activity, licensing condition updates, property standards expectations and training opportunities on such things as flood management and so on. Landlords should remain poised to act upon any changes that may arise. To do so we encourage all our landlords to continue adhering to Rent Smart Wales licensing conditions, including routine inspections, proper record keeping, and maintaining property standards. We would also recommend any landlord to monitor future Welsh Government announcements, as the widening policy gap between England and Wales may put pressure on Welsh reforms in the coming years.
If you’re a Varcity Living landlord and you’re confused as to how the Renters’ Rights Act affects you please feel free to get in touch with us for further information.
