Implementing and monitoring the Renters' Rights Act in London

The London Assembly Housing Committee is investigating the implementation and monitoring of the measures in the Renters’ Rights Act in London.

• Examine how the measures in the Renters’ Rights Act can be implemented and adhered to in London
• Identify key challenges local authorities in London will face in monitoring and enforcing the measures in the Renters’ Rights Act, including having the necessary capacity and resources to do so
• Investigate to what extent renters and landlords understand their new rights and responsibilities under the Renters’ Rights Act
• Identify what actions the Mayor of London should take to adapt his current and planned work on the private rented sector to reflect the new measures contained within the Renters’ Rights Act
• Ask what actions the Mayor of London can take to support local authorities in London to implement, monitor, and enforce the measures in the Renters’ Rights Act
• Investigate how the Mayor of London will monitor the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on the wider London housing market

• The Renters’ Rights Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 11 September 2024 and received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. The Government has stated that the Renters’ Rights Act (“the Act”) “will give renters much greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness.”
• London Councils welcomed the Renters’ Rights Bill when it was first introduced in Parliament and highlighted “the need for sufficient resources to implement these new measures effectively.” Shelter has described the Act as “the victory of a lifetime for renters who have fought for years for better protections,” but there is concern among tenants’ unions that the Act does not go far enough to address rental affordability. The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has stated that it “represents one of the most significant policy reforms of the rental sector in a generation” and has warned the Act could result in a number of problems for the sector.
• The Act introduces measures that are particularly relevant to the rights and responsibilities of private tenants and landlords in London. The Act will abolish section 21 (‘no-fault’) evictions and fixed-term tenancies and replace these with a new tenancy structure where all tenancies will be periodic. The Act will change how landlords can increase rent by restricting this to one section 13 notice a year and increasing the notice period for a rent increase from one month to two months. The Act will introduce new rules for housing conditions and disrepair by extending the Decent Homes Standard (“DHS”) and Awaab’s Law – which both currently apply to the social rented sector – to the private rented sector. The Act also provides for a new private rented sector Ombudsman and a new database of all private residential landlords to aid monitoring and enforcement.
• Local authorities will be able to issue civil penalties against landlords who fail to comply with the measures in the Act and retain the revenues for future enforcement work. Local authorities will also be granted new investigatory powers to request information from third parties and enter premises to obtain evidence for cases. Although the Government has stated that it “will fully fund the cost of any additional duties on local government”, organisations such as Shelter have commented that “with council budgets extremely stretched, it’s not clear how this will work in practice.”
• The Government has confirmed that the new enforcement and investigatory powers for local authorities provided by the Act will come into effect on 27 December 2025. The first phase of the measures, including the abolition of section 21 evictions, the new tenancy structure, and rules on rent increases will come into effect on 1 May 2026. The new database will go live in late 2026 and landlords will be required to join the new Ombudsman in 2028. No date has been set for the implementation of Awaab’s Law and the DHS, and these will be subject to consultation.

1. What will change for private renters and landlords in London due to the measures introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act, and how will it be possible to measure their success?
2. What will be the main challenges for local authorities in London in monitoring and enforcing the measures introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act?
3. Do local authorities in London have the capacity and resources they need to monitor and enforce the measures introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act?
4. How will the Renters’ Rights Act affect the Mayor’s Private Rented Sector Partnership, manifesto commitments, and work to provide safe and decent homes for Londoners?
5. How can the Mayor support local authorities in London to implement and enforce the measures introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act, and monitor the impact on Londoners?
6. How can the Mayor help renters and landlords understand their new rights and responsibilities under the Act?
7. What impact will the Renters’ Rights Act have on the supply of rented properties, and how can this be monitored?