Renters’ Rights Act 2026: a landlord’s compliance checklist

Updated July 2026 · A factual summary of public information. Not legal or compliance advice — verify each duty with official guidance or a professional.

The Renters’ Rights Act is in force. It is the biggest change to private renting in a generation. Below are the headline duties in plain words, a working checklist, and the honest reason most landlords fail: dates.

The duties, one by one

1. PRS database registration. Registration in the national Private Rented Sector database is mandatory as it rolls out. Marketing or letting an unregistered property brings penalties. Track the rollout on GOV.UK — Renters’ Rights guidance.

2. Ombudsman membership. Private landlords must join the landlord ombudsman scheme. Tenants get a free complaints route; membership is a legal duty, not a choice.

3. Section 21 is gone. “No-fault” evictions ended. Possession now runs through defined statutory grounds with notice periods and evidence. Paperwork mistakes carry real cost.

4. Deposits, still and always. Protection within 30 days in DPS, TDS or mydeposits, plus prescribed information. Courts can award tenants 1–3x an unprotected deposit. Rules: GOV.UK. Your tenants read our deposit guide — assume they know their rights.

5. EPC minimum. A valid certificate, rating E or better, before letting. The minimum is planned to rise towards C for new tenancies by 2030. Certificates and expiry dates are public in the official register.

6. Licensing. HMO, additional or selective — depends on the property and the council area. Unlicensed letting exposes you to rent repayment orders of up to 24 months’ rent. The licence types are explained in our licensing guide.

7. Penalties add up. Civil penalties reach £30,000+ per breach, and serious cases go further. Councils enforce actively; tenants act through tribunals.

A working checklist, step by step

1. List every property with three dates: EPC expiry, licence expiry, tenancy start.
2. Check each EPC in the public register — rating and expiry, not memory.
3. Check each address in the council licence register. In Leeds, Rent Radar reads the official register by postcode.
4. Verify every deposit in its scheme and locate the prescribed information copies.
5. Register on the PRS database as the rollout reaches your area; diary the ombudsman deadline too.
6. Put every renewal date in a calendar with a 60-day warning. Most breaches are missed dates, not decisions.

The honest problem: dates

Most landlord failures are not malice. They are missed dates. An EPC quietly expires. A licence renewal slips. A deadline passes in a news cycle you did not read.

Meanwhile your tenants can already see the public registers — free, in 30 seconds, with date stamps. It helps to see the same picture yourself, before they do.

Radar for Landlords — coming soon

Radar for Landlords (£9.99/mo) will send date reminders — EPC expiry, licence dates, statutory deadlines — and mirror what public registers show about your portfolio.

Reminders and register snapshots only. No compliance advice, no assessments, no guarantees. Compliance responsibility stays with the landlord.

FAQ

Do I have to register on the PRS database?

Yes, as the rollout reaches your area registration becomes mandatory. Marketing or letting an unregistered property brings penalties. Track the official rollout timetable on GOV.UK.

Can I still evict a tenant after section 21 ended?

Yes, through the defined statutory grounds — rent arrears, sale, moving in and others. Each ground has notice periods and evidence requirements. Paperwork mistakes are now expensive.

What happens if my property needed a licence and had none?

Tenants can claim a rent repayment order of up to 24 months of rent through a tribunal. Councils can add civil penalties of £30,000 or more per breach.

What are the most common compliance failures?

Missed dates: an expired EPC, a lapsed licence renewal, a late deposit protection. Most failures are calendar problems, not intent — which makes them preventable.