Renters Rights Act 2025: A Professional Report

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The Renters' Rights Act: A Manchester Landlord's Guide

The Renters' Rights Act has reshaped the private rented sector in England more significantly than any housing reform in recent decades. For Manchester landlords, the biggest change is clear: Section 21 has gone, fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies have converted to periodic tenancies, and landlords must now draw on specific Section 8 grounds to recover possession.

For portfolio landlords, HMO owners, and buy-to-let investors across Manchester, South Manchester and Cheshire, this is not simply an administrative update. It affects tenancy agreements, rent increases, possession planning, student lets, advertising, property standards, tenant complaints and compliance records.

This guide covers the key changes and the practical actions landlords should take now.

Section 21 Has Been Abolished

Section 21 previously permitted landlords to regain possession of a property without proving tenant fault. It provided a route to end an Assured Shorthold Tenancy once the proper notice and procedural requirements had been met.

That route has now been withdrawn.

Landlords can no longer issue a new Section 21 notice. The only lawful route to possession is now Section 8, which means the landlord must prove a valid legal ground. This changes the risk profile of letting property because possession is no longer an certain process based on notice expiry.

For Manchester landlords planning to offload, move into a property, reconstruct a house, or run student accommodation, possession strategy now needs to be arranged much earlier. Evidence matters. Timelines matter. The correct ground matters.

Existing ASTs Have Converted to Periodic Tenancies

Every existing Assured Shorthold Tenancy converted to an Assured Periodic Tenancy under the new regime. This means there is no longer a definite end date that landlords can rely on.

A periodic tenancy rolls from rental period to rental period, usually month to month. Tenants can end the tenancy by giving two months' documented notice, but landlords cannot simply wait for a fixed term to expire and then request possession.

Existing tenancy agreements still matter, but fixed-term clauses, minimum-term commitments and break clauses are no longer operative in the same way. Landlords should check all tenancy templates and eliminate outdated Assured Shorthold Tenancy wording before issuing new tenancies.

The 31 May Information Sheet Deadline

One of the most urgent compliance duties is the requirement to issue the Government Information Sheet to existing tenants. Tenants whose tenancies transitioned to periodic tenancies must obtain the document by 31 May 2026.

Where a tenancy was previously oral rather than written, landlords must also furnish a Written Statement of Terms.

Failure to issue the mandatory documents can expose landlords to civil penalties of up to £7,000 per breach. For landlords with multiple properties, this can quickly become a significant financial risk.

Landlords should retain evidence of service, including the date, method and tenant details. A simple email record may not be sufficient if the process is unreliable. A robust compliance trail is now essential.

The New Section 8 Possession Grounds

Section 8 is now the central possession route for private landlords. Some grounds are mandatory, meaning the court must give possession if the ground is evidenced. Others are discretionary, meaning the court rules whether possession is appropriate.

Key Section 8 Grounds for Landlords

• Ground 1, where the landlord or a close family member intends to live in the property as their main home.
• Ground 1A, where the landlord intends to sell the property.
• Ground 4A, which facilitates student-let cycles by permitting possession where a suitable student property needs to be re-let for the next academic year.
• Ground 6, where the landlord intends to clear or substantially redevelop the property.
• Ground 8, where the tenant is in severe rent arrears.
• Ground 8A, which deals with repeated arrears.
• Ground 14, which applies to anti-social behaviour.

For Manchester landlords, Ground 4A is notably significant in student areas such as Fallowfield, Withington and Rusholme. Without a workable student possession ground, landlords could find it difficult to coordinate tenancies with the academic year.

Rent Bidding Is Now Banned

The Renters' Rights Act also creates a rent bidding ban. Landlords and letting agents must promote a property at a specific rental figure. That advertised figure is the maximum rent that can be accepted.

This means phrases such as "offers over", "from £X", "guide price" or "price on application" should not be featured in residential lettings advertising.

Even if a tenant willingly tenders more than the advertised rent, taking that offer can violate the rules. This makes precise pricing more important than ever.

In fast-moving Manchester markets, including Didsbury, Chorlton, Salford Quays and busy student areas, landlords need reliable comparable evidence before listing. Undervaluing the property may cut yield. Overvaluing the property may extend void periods. There is no longer a compliant bidding process to amend the rent upwards later.

Property Portal Registration

The Act creates a new Private Rented Sector Database, commonly identified as the Property Portal. Landlords and privately rented properties must be recorded.

The portal is intended to retain key compliance information, including gas safety Renters Rights Act Manchester records, electrical safety certificates, EPC details, deposit information, licensing status and enforcement history.

A landlord who has not signed up may be unable to submit a valid Section 8 notice. This makes registration a possession issue as well as an procedural duty.

Manchester landlords should assemble property files now. Each property should have a clear folder containing certificates, licence references, tenancy documents, deposit evidence and repair records.

Decent Homes Standard for Private Lets

The Decent Homes Standard is being extended to the private rented sector. This sets a statutory baseline for property condition.

A rented property must be in a adequate state of repair, have appropriate modern facilities, supply suitable thermal comfort and be free from serious Category 1 hazards.

This is especially important for older Manchester housing stock, including Victorian terraces, period conversions, older HMOs and properties that have been let for many years without extensive refurbishment.

A licensed HMO will not automatically satisfy the Decent Homes Standard. Licensing and property condition standards intersect, but they are not equivalent. Damp, mould, excess cold, defective electrics, poor heating or substantial fall risks can still create compliance problems.

Awaab's Law and Damp and Mould Duties

Awaab's Law imposes strict duties on landlords when tenants flag damp, mould or serious hazards. Landlords must investigate within set timescales, provide written findings, and commence remedial action within the required period.

For Manchester landlords, the key issue is process. A haphazard repair system founded on text messages, email chains or oral updates is no longer adequate.

Every report should be documented. Every inspection should be noted. Every outcome should be confirmed in writing. Where remedial work is required, landlords should note instructions, contractor attendance, completion dates and tenant communication.

Pets, Benefits and Anti-Discrimination Rules

Tenants now have a statutory right to apply for a pet. Landlords can deny only where there is a reasonable ground, such as a leasehold restriction, inappropriate property type or animal welfare concern. A blanket "no pets" policy is improbable to be acceptable.

The Act also prohibits blanket refusals against tenants with children or tenants receiving benefits. Landlords can still appraise affordability, referencing, income and suitability. What they cannot do is bar an entire group blanket.

Lettings adverts should be scrutinised closely. Phrases such as "no DSS", "professionals only" or "no children" may generate enforcement risk.

Private Rented Sector Ombudsman

Private landlords must also belong to the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman. This gives tenants a structured route to escalate complaints about repairs, communication, conduct, deposits and property management.

For well-managed landlords, the Ombudsman should be workable. Thorough records, quick responses and detailed repair trails will support handle complaints. For landlords with deficient communication or ad hoc systems, the liability is much greater.

Manchester Landlords Action Plan

Landlords should now complete a structured compliance review.

• Serve the Government Information Sheet and keep proof of service.
• Review all tenancy agreements and remove outdated fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancy wording.
• Audit any historic Section 21 notices and replace failed strategies with Section 8 planning.
• Check rent adverts for rent bidding compliance and banned wording.
• Prepare documents for Property Portal registration.
• Assess older properties against the Decent Homes Standard.
• Create a formal damp, mould and hazard reporting workflow.
• Register with the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman.

For Manchester HMO landlords, student-let landlords and portfolio investors, the Act demands a more structured approach to property management. Compliance is no longer something to check only at the start of a tenancy. It now touches every stage of the landlord and tenant relationship.

The most prudent approach is to treat the Renters' Rights Act as an operational reset: assess every property, every tenancy, every advert and every repair process before a problem becomes an enforcement issue.