RRA 2025 Landlord Checklist: Everything to Do Before 1 May 2026

Why you need this checklist

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 takes effect on 1 May 2026. It is the biggest change to private renting in England for over 30 years. Some changes apply immediately, others have transition periods, and getting any of them wrong can mean penalties, blocked possession orders, or legal action from tenants.

This checklist covers every action you need to take, grouped by topic. Work through it section by section and you will be ready for day one.

For the full implementation timeline, see our RRA 2025 timeline guide.

Tenancy documents

Every tenancy must now have a written agreement with prescribed terms. Verbal agreements are no longer valid.

Provide a written tenancy agreement to every tenant. If you have existing tenancies without one, issue a written agreement now. See our tenancy agreements guide for what must be included.
Remove references to fixed terms. All tenancies are now periodic from day one. Delete any fixed-term end dates, break clauses, or references to Section 21 from your agreements.
Include the required RRA 2025 clauses. Your agreement must state that rent can only be increased via Section 13, that the tenant can request a pet, and that the tenancy is periodic.
Serve the government information sheet. This replaces the old "How to Rent" guide. Provide it to every tenant before or at the start of the tenancy. Failure to serve it can block possession proceedings.
Existing tenants: issue updated agreements by 31 May 2026. You have a one-month grace period from the implementation date to provide written agreements to existing tenants.

Compliance certificates

You must hold valid certificates for every property you let. Missing or expired certificates can block Section 8 possession orders and result in penalties.

Gas Safety Certificate (CP12). Must be renewed annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Serve a copy to the tenant within 28 days. See our gas safety guide.
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). Must be renewed every 5 years. A satisfactory report is required before letting and must be provided to tenants within 28 days of the inspection.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Must be valid (not expired) and rated E or above. The certificate lasts 10 years. See our EPC guide for the current rules and the proposed C rating by 2030.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. At least one smoke alarm on every storey and a CO alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance. Test them at the start of every tenancy and during inspections.
Serve all certificates to tenants. Keep proof of service — email with attachment, signed receipt, or recorded delivery.

Deposit protection

Getting deposit protection wrong is one of the most common landlord mistakes, and the penalties are severe.

Check deposit amounts are within the 5-week cap. Calculate: monthly rent x 12 / 52 x 5. If you have taken more, arrange a partial refund to the tenant. See our deposit protection guide.
Protect every deposit within 30 days of receiving it, using one of the three government-approved schemes (DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS).
Serve prescribed information within 30 days. The tenant must receive details of the scheme, how to apply for return, and what to do in a dispute.
Check existing deposits. If any deposit is unprotected or over the cap, fix it now. An unprotected deposit blocks most Section 8 grounds and exposes you to penalties of 1-3x the deposit amount.

Rent increases

Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements no longer have legal effect. There is only one way to increase rent.

Use Section 13 for all rent increases. This is now the only lawful method. No exceptions. See our Section 13 guide.
Give at least 2 months' notice. The effective date must fall on the first day of a rent period and be at least 2 months after the notice date.
No increases in the first 12 months. If a tenancy started less than 12 months ago, you cannot increase the rent yet. See our first-year protections guide.
Only once per year. You can only increase rent once every 12 months, regardless of when the tenancy started.
Remove rent review clauses from tenancy agreements. They have no legal effect under the RRA 2025 and can confuse tenants.

Possession grounds

Section 21 is abolished from 1 May 2026. You can no longer serve no-fault eviction notices.

Familiarise yourself with the updated Section 8 grounds. There are 10 key grounds, each with specific notice periods and evidence requirements. See our complete Section 8 guide.
Understand the 12-month protected period. Most grounds cannot be used in the first year of a tenancy. Only Grounds 1, 1A, 2, 7A, 7B, and 8 are available in year one. See our first-year protections guide.
Include prior notice clauses for Grounds 1 and 1A. If you might need to move into or sell the property, give written notice before the tenancy starts. Without prior notice, these grounds are blocked for 12 months.
Act on existing Section 21 notices before the deadline. Any Section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026 must have court proceedings issued by approximately October 2026 (exact date TBC in secondary legislation).
Keep evidence. Section 8 requires proof. Maintain records of rent payments, communications, property condition, and any incidents.

Awaab's Law (damp and mould)

Awaab's Law is being extended to the private rented sector as part of Phase 2 (late 2026), but good practice means acting now.

Respond to damp and mould reports within 14 days. Investigate the cause — do not just clean the visible mould. See our Awaab's Law guide.
Act on emergencies within 24 hours. If damp or mould poses an immediate health risk, emergency action is required.
Document everything. Record the report, investigation, actions taken, and completion date. Photos and written records are essential.
Address root causes. Ensure adequate ventilation, fix structural issues, and maintain heating systems. Telling tenants to "open windows" is not sufficient.

Landlord registration (PRS Database)

The national Private Rented Sector Database is expected as part of Phase 2 (late 2026). Prepare now.

Gather your property data. You will need to register each property with details including address, EPC rating, gas safety status, and deposit protection scheme.
Keep compliance documents up to date. The database will cross-reference your data, so expired certificates will be flagged.
Budget for a registration fee. The exact amount has not been confirmed, but a per-property fee is expected.
Watch for announcements. The government will confirm the launch date and registration process through secondary legislation.

Inspections and property access

Always give at least 24 hours' written notice before entering a property. See our inspections guide.
Schedule routine inspections every 6 months. Document the condition of the property with written notes and photos.
Respect tenant refusal. Tenants can refuse entry even with notice. You cannot force entry except in a genuine emergency.

Your 1 May 2026 action plan

If you only do five things before 1 May 2026, do these:

Update every tenancy agreement to remove Section 21 references, fixed terms, and rent review clauses
Check every deposit is protected, within the cap, and prescribed information has been served
Verify all certificates (gas safety, EICR, EPC) are valid and served to tenants
Add prior notice clauses for Grounds 1 and 1A to all new tenancies
Set up a system to track deadlines, certificates, and notice periods across your portfolio

How Get Let Flow helps

Get Let Flow is built specifically for the RRA 2025. It tracks every item on this checklist automatically:

Certificate tracking with expiry alerts and tenant service records
Deposit protection monitoring with 30-day countdown and cap validation
Section 8 and Section 13 notice generators with built-in eligibility checks
Tenant portal for maintenance reporting (Awaab's Law compliant)
Compliance dashboard showing your status across all properties at a glance

Every rule in the RRA 2025 is built into the platform, so you stay compliant without becoming a property law expert.