How landlords can defend themselves against the Renters' Rights Act

Landlords are struggling as a result of the Renters' Rights Act

Those who are eager to remain in the market ought to start taking precautions.

A significant portion of the Renters Rights Act is now in effect, and although it should benefit tenants, some claim it has made it more difficult to be a landlord.

The bill, which is one of the main initiatives of the Labour government, aims to address the perceived power disparity between landlords and tenants.

However, the buy-to-let market has been severely damaged for years, with tax breaks on mortgage interest reduced and the second home stamp duty surcharge raised.

Problems with BFIA today. Beginning in 2026, the Renters Rights Act's modificationswhich mainly affect the private rental marketwill be implemented. In May 2026, a lot of changes went into effect.

Current Videos From IMG: Rolling contracts have replaced fixed-term tenancies, no-fault evictions have been outlawed, and renters can now request to live with a pet without a landlord's justification.

Although it hasn't yet gone into effect, the act aims to extend Awaabs Law to private rentals as well. The law, which is already in place for the social rental sector, requires landlords to look into and address serious damp mold and emergency hazards within a certain amount of time.

Tenants' lives will undoubtedly be improved by the Renters Rights Act, but landlords who are already operating in a difficult market must arm themselves with as much protection as they can.

Here are four important things that landlords should think about doing right now.

Insurance for rent guarantee.

Since Section 21 (of the 1988 Housing Act) no fault evictions were eliminated by the Renters Rights Act, landlords must now rely on Section 8 to reclaim a property.

Tenants may be evicted under Section 8 for antisocial behavior or for failing to pay three months' worth of rent.

However, if a tenant disputes a case and it goes to court, this could result in long stretches of time when landlords are heavily out of pocket and have to pay legal fees.

In this case, rent guarantee insurance can protect you by paying for unpaid rent and occasionally legal fees.

Typically, rent guarantee insurance pays out for six to twelve months. The type, size, and location of the property, your level of coverage, the excess, and the insurer's assessment of the likelihood that a tenant will miss payments will all affect how much you pay.

Another option is to ask a potential tenant to consent to having a guarantor who will pay any rent in the event that the tenant is unable to do so.

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) chief policy officer, Chris Norris, stated: "A guarantor or rent guarantee insurance is a sensible option for landlords who rely on rental income to cover essential costs."

Coverage that covers unpaid rent and the legal costs of regaining possession can be the difference between a manageable setback and a significant financial hit, as Section 8 possession routes are likely to be slower and more expensive. A "

Make reference and affordability checks more rigorous.

Since the Renters Rights Act eliminated fixed-term assured tenancies and outlawed Section 21 evictions, it is now the responsibility of landlords to thoroughly assess tenants' affordability and references to make sure they can make their rent payments on time and won't cause any issues.

You can do your own affordability and reference checks as a landlord.

You can also hire a professional tenant reference agency or a letting agent, but keep in mind that this will cost you money.

For instance, a reputable reference agency may bill between £15 and £40 per tenant.

If you conduct the inspections yourself, you could make an initial phone or video call with the tenant to get a sense of their personality and learn other important details about them, such as whether they smoke or what kind of job they have.

You could check their credit, look over their bank statements, and get references from both their previous landlord and employer.

"Landlords and letting agents will need to place far greater focus on upfront due diligence, particularly around affordability, income verification, previous tenancy conduct, and overall risk profiling before a tenancy begins," stated Sim Sekhon, group chief executive officer of Propoly, a platform for rental agents. A "

It is now unlawful for landlords to refuse to rent a property to a tenant who is receiving benefits or who has children under the age of eighteen, according to the Renters Rights Act.

A pet policy should be included in your lease.

According to the Renters Rights Act, a landlord cannot arbitrarily deny a tenant's request for a pet. May 2026 marked the implementation of this portion of the act.

Therefore, in order to prevent future conflicts, it might be worthwhile to include a pet policy in your lease.

"A well-drafted pet policy can help set expectations around issues like cleaning responsibilities, flea treatment, nuisance behavior, and how any pet-related damage will be managed," stated Sin Hemming-Metcalfe, operations director of Property Inspect, a website that helps landlords, surveyors, and property managers manage property reports and inspections. A "

It might be worthwhile to add pet damage to your current landlord insurance in addition to including a pet policy in your lease, which would protect you in the event of any mishaps.

Hemming-Metcalfe added that it might be worthwhile to draft an inventory and get a tenant's approval.

This will determine the state of the property when the tenant moved in, including the contents, general cleanliness, walls, floors, and appliances. It may also be useful if the tenant later disputes whether their pet has caused any damage.

Maintain thorough documentation and keep abreast of property standards and compliance.

Because Section 8 notices depend on substantial evidence against a tenant, it is crucial that landlords maintain thorough records of every facet of a tenancy, which they can utilize to support a court case.

Hemming-Metcalfe stated: "Throughout the tenancy, keep complete inspection reports with photographic proof, accurate maintenance records, rent payment histories, and transparent logs of tenant communications. If cases go to court, evidence of problems like complaints about antisocial behavior or unresolved repair access may also be crucial. A "

Additionally, landlords need to make sure they are adhering to property regulations.

This entails making certain that deposits are appropriately safeguarded through a tenancy deposit plan and that Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), gas safety certificates, and electrical reports are current and valid. Additionally, repair issues must be handled quickly, and accurate records must be kept at all times.

Hemming-Metcalfe continued: "In addition to avoiding penalties, a landlord's capacity to effectively pursue possession claims will increasingly depend on compliance. In actuality, keeping correct property records, audit trails, and inspection evidence will become equally crucial as the actual property management. The "

If you are a landlord impacted by the Renters Rights Act and other recent legislative changes, send an email to editor@BFIA . com to share your story.