The new Renters’ Rights Bill introduces important changes to tenancy agreements, notice periods, and rental processes.
In this guide, we’ve broken down the key points, explained how they affect existing and new tenancies, and highlighted what Alto is working on behind the scenes to make the transition easy, simple and seamless.
What agents need to know about the Renters’ Rights Act
What is the Renters’ Rights Act, and why is it being introduced?
The Renters’ Rights Act is new law for England’s private rental sector. It aims to improve the rental experience by providing greater security and stability for tenants.
What regulations are included in the Renters’ Rights Bill?
Key reforms for tenants
- End of ‘no-fault’ evictions:
The bill abolishes Section 21 notices, giving tenants greater security in their homes and preventing landlords from ending tenancies without a valid reason. - New tenancy structure:
Fixed‑term assured shorthold tenancies will be replaced by periodic tenancies, giving tenants the right to end their tenancy with two months’ notice. - Ban on rental bidding wars:
Landlords and agents will be prohibited from asking for, encouraging, or accepting rent offers above the advertised price. - Improved property standards:
The new Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law, requiring landlords to address hazards like damp and mould, will apply to private rentals. - Supporting responsible pet ownership:
Landlords will not be able to unreasonably decline a tenant’s request for a pet in their home. The tenant will be able to challenge any decisions they deem unfair. - Rules on the rent
Landlords will only be able to ask for 1 month’s rent in advance (except initial rent). Rent increases can only happen once a year and require 2 months notice
Key reforms for landlords
- National landlord database:
The Private Rented Sector Database will be introduced. While exact details are yet to be released, it is likely that landlords will be required to register themselves and their properties. - New landlord ombudsman:
The Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman will be established to help resolve disputes impartially between landlords and tenants. - Stronger enforcement:
Local councils will have expanded powers to enforce the new regulations, with increased fines and Rent Repayment Orders for breaches. - Abolition of fixed‑term assured shorthold tenancies:
While fixed‑term assured shorthold tenancies will be abolished, landlords can still seek possession using section 8 grounds.
When is the Renters’ Rights Bill going to become legislation?
On 22nd October 2025, it completed the consideration of amendments. As of 27th October, it received Royal Assent and has become law. In the coming weeks, ministers will outline how the reforms will be rolled out.
The new provisions anticipated to come into effect early to mid 2026.
How Alto is helping its customers with the Renters’ Rights Bill
How is Alto preparing for the impending changes?
At Alto, we’re not just flagging the challenges of reform. We’re building tools to help agents meet them head-on. We’ve developed a focused product roadmap designed to reduce admin, cut risk, and give agents the confidence to navigate reform without losing landlords or letting income.
What changes are on the Alto Renters’ Right Bill product roadmap?
We are working on releasing a range of updates designed to save time, reduce manual work, and keep your business fully compliant with upcoming tenancy regulation changes.
The shift to periodic tenancies
With the end of fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs), Alto is introducing new features to make your transition to periodic-only tenancies seamless.
Bulk conversion made easy: Quickly convert multiple fixed-term tenancies to periodic in one go. No need for individual manual updates, saving you hours of admin time.
Smarter communication tools: Automatically notify landlords, tenants, and property managers about tenancy status changes from a single process. This means consistent messaging and no duplicate comms needed.
Create periodic tenancies from day one: Set up new tenancies as periodic right from the start, ensuring full compliance from the outset.
Removal of term length fields: Tenancy input and contract templates will be updated to reflect the new structure, with unnecessary start/end dates removed.
Rental review automation and offer safeguarding
New legislation formalises and caps annual rent reviews and these updates will help you stay compliant, consistent, and in control.
Smart annual review reminders: Never miss a rent review window. Alto will automatically alert you when a tenancy becomes eligible for review based on its start date and the latest legal timelines.
Built-in safeguards against illegal increases: Alto will automatically prevent rent adjustments that exceed permitted limits or fall outside the legal timeframe.
Restrictions on offers: Alto’s offer-handling workflow will automatically flag or restrict any attempt to accept offers above the listed rent for properties.
Pets in rentals
Landlords will no longer be able to refuse tenants with pets without a strong reason, and deposit limits may be adjusted accordingly. Alto is making it simple to stay compliant with built-in tools to manage pet-friendly tenancies from start to finish.
Pet tenancy indicators: Easily identify tenancies that include pets with clear visual markers, ensuring the right clauses and conditions are automatically applied.
Updated deposit calculations: Alto will automatically recalculate the deposit amount in line with updated legal caps seamlessly synced with TDS integration for full accuracy and compliance.
Contract process and legal templates
As tenancy agreements grow more complex, Alto is evolving to help agents manage legal contracts with confidence and flexibility.
Custom clause builder: Easily insert, edit, or remove both stock and custom clauses right from the tenancy record. There’s no need for external editors or tools.
Updated legal templates: We’re partnering with legal experts to refresh all tenancy templates, including ASTs and other standard contracts. Build compliant agreements with confidence using legally-approved templates from The Lettings Centre.
More detail on the Alto product changes
Will the option to create fixed-term tenancies disappear?
No! You can still create tenancies with a pre-defined term. It just won’t be the default option anymore. Fixed-term support will continue for:
- Commercial lets
- Long-term tenancies (21+ years)
- Fixed-term standard contracts in Wales, initial terms in Scotland and fixed-term private tenancies in Northern Ireland
Will new letters and documents be available in Alto, or do we need to source them ourselves?
If you pay for documents from The Letting Centre through Alto, they will automatically be updated to comply with the latest regulations.
If you source documents elsewhere, you’ll need to update them yourself.
Can customers suggest improvements while changes are being implemented?
Absolutely! Once the bill is fully clarified (expected end of this month), we’ll share our plans widely and invite feedback. In the meantime, you can share suggestions anytime through your dedicated Customer Success Manager or the Alto support team.
Useful resources
The official Government guide on the Renters Rights Act
Renters’ Rights Bill: Government Act – Overview
Renters’ Rights Bill: Government Act – Latest news
