As 'no-fault' evictions are about to be banned, here's our 16 renters' rights and cost-cutting tips
Including... Use rent to boost your credit score | Cut energy bills | Contents cover | 60% less rent as a property guardian | Make your home bigger without moving
On Friday 1 May, the Renters' Rights Act will come into force in England. It's arguably a once-in-a-generation change - ending fixed-term tenancies and no-fault evictions, and making the rental equivalent(ish) of gazumping (accepting bids over the asking price) illegal.
The situation for renters has been tough, rents in England now average £1,430 - up 30% over the last five years - and there have been even bigger rises across the other UK nations.
Plus a squeeze on rental properties means even finding a place to live can be hard. It's hoped these new rights will help, though as always there is some 'wait-and-see' to discover the impact on the wider market. So here's a brief summary of the changes, then onto the cost-cutting tips, including...
- Use rent to boost your credit score.
- Renters' rights to cut energy bills | Broadband bills | Water bills.
- Make your home bigger without moving.
- Pay 60% less rent as a property guardian.
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How Renters' Rights are changing in England
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Before 1 May 2026
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From 1 May 2026
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| EVICTIONS. Landlords can issue Section 21 eviction notices, also known as 'no-fault' evictions. |
Landlords will only be able to evict tenants if they have a valid reason. These include... selling a property, moving in themselves, anti-social behaviour, rent arrears. See full evictions list on Gov.uk |
CONTRACT TYPE
Most tenants have fixed-term contracts (called Assured Shorthold Tenancies). |
Tenancies will become 'rolling', without a set end date (called Assured Periodic Tenancies) so you're no longer tied to a minimum term.
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NOTICE PERIOD
May allow tenants to give one month's notice when leaving. |
Minimum two months' notice to end a tenancy. |
RENT HIKES
Landlords are allowed to increase rent at any time. You can challenge it by going to a tribunal. |
Rises are limited to once a year. Landlords must give two months' notice. You can challenge it by going to a tribunal.
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OFFERS
Prospective tenants can be encouraged to 'bid' for popular properties. |
Landlords and letting agents will not be able to ask for (or accept) an offer higher than the advertised rent. |
UPFRONT RENT
Tenants can be asked to pay several months' rent upfront. |
Landlords and letting agents can't ask for more than one month's rent in advance. |
Further measures, including a private rented sector database of landlords and properties, and a private landlord ombudsman, will come into effect in late 2026. The renting situation works differently in other UK nations, but rules around rental discrimination will also apply in Wales and Scotland, while reforms are being looked at in N.Ireland.
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Far more help on the Renters' Rights Act and what it means for you, see the detailed help from charity Shelter and the Gov.uk site.
1. Renters, you have a right to switch energy tariff if you pay for it. As long as you pay the bills directly (rather than through a general 'bills included' package) and don't need to physically switch the meter, you don't need your landlord's permission to switch tariff, though for courtesy's sake, it's worth letting them know.
And for the last week, for the first time in many weeks, people can both save and protect themselves from price hikes by getting a cheap fix. As your winner depends on usage and location, do a quick full market comparison asap to find your cheapest deal.
PS: If bills are getting too big, see our help if you're struggling to pay guide.
2. How to get renting to boost your ability to get credit. Your credit files - provided by Experian, Equifax and TransUnion - is key info lenders, including mortgage firms, use to assess if they want you as a customer. They use your past behaviour to predict how you'll behave in the future. Our
