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 transformed the private rented sector in England more considerably than any housing reform in recent decades. For Manchester landlords, the biggest change is evident: Section 21 has gone, fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies have converted to periodic tenancies, and landlords must now rely 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 clerical update. It impacts tenancy agreements, rent increases, possession planning, student lets, advertising, property standards, tenant complaints and compliance records.

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

Section 21 Has Been Abolished

Section 21 previously allowed landlords to obtain possession of a property without proving tenant fault. It offered a route to end an Assured Shorthold Tenancy once the required notice and procedural requirements had been met.

That route has now been eliminated.

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

For Manchester landlords planning to transfer, move into a property, renovate a house, or manage 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 transferred to an Assured Periodic Tenancy under the new regime. This means there is no longer a set 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' written notice, but landlords cannot simply wait for a fixed term to expire and then demand possession.

Existing tenancy agreements still matter, but fixed-term clauses, minimum-term commitments and break clauses are no longer applicable in the same way. Landlords should examine all tenancy templates and delete outdated Assured Shorthold Tenancy wording before issuing new tenancies.

The 31 May Information Sheet Deadline

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

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

Failure to deliver the stipulated documents can subject landlords to civil penalties of up to £7,000 per breach. For landlords with multiple properties, this can quickly become a considerable financial risk.

Landlords should maintain evidence of service, including the date, method and tenant details. A simple email record may not be adequate if the process is patchy. A proper compliance trail is now vital.

The New Section 8 Possession Grounds

Section 8 is now the central possession route for private landlords. Some grounds are binding, meaning the court must award possession if the ground is demonstrated. Others are flexible, meaning the court rules whether possession is reasonable.

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 supports student-let cycles by allowing possession where a suitable student property needs to be re-let for the next academic year.
• Ground 6, where the landlord intends to knock down or extensively redevelop the property.
• Ground 8, where the tenant is in serious rent arrears.
• Ground 8A, which concerns repeated arrears.
• Ground 14, which relates to anti-social behaviour.

For Manchester landlords, Ground 4A is especially relevant in student areas such as Fallowfield, Withington and Rusholme. Without a functional student possession ground, landlords could face challenges to coordinate tenancies with the academic year.

Rent Bidding Is Now Banned

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

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

Even if a tenant willingly proposes more than the advertised rent, agreeing to that offer can breach the rules. This makes accurate pricing more critical than ever.

In competitive Manchester markets, including Didsbury, Chorlton, Salford Quays and busy student areas, landlords need reliable comparable evidence before listing. Undervaluing the property may lower yield. Overpricing may lengthen void periods. There is no longer a compliant bidding process to correct the rent upwards later.

Property Portal Registration

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

The portal is expected to retain key Renters Rights Act compliance information, including gas safety 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 compile property files now. Each property should have a organised folder containing certificates, licence references, tenancy documents, deposit evidence and repair records.

Decent Homes Standard for Private Lets

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

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

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

A licensed HMO will not automatically satisfy the Decent Homes Standard. Licensing and property condition standards converge, but they are not the same. Damp, mould, excess cold, dangerous electrics, deficient heating or severe fall risks can still cause compliance problems.

Awaab's Law and Damp and Mould Duties

Awaab's Law sets firm duties on landlords when tenants report damp, mould or serious hazards. Landlords must inspect within specified timescales, issue written findings, and start remedial action within the specified period.

For Manchester landlords, the key issue is process. A casual repair system dependent on text messages, email chains or spoken updates is no longer adequate.

Every report should be documented. Every inspection should be noted. Every outcome should be noted in writing. Where remedial work is called for, landlords should document 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 decline only where there is a reasonable ground, such as a leasehold restriction, unsuitable property type or animal welfare concern. A blanket "no pets" policy is unlikely to be acceptable.

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

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

Private Rented Sector Ombudsman

Private landlords must also be a member to the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman. This grants tenants a official route to raise complaints about repairs, communication, conduct, deposits and property management.

For properly managed landlords, the Ombudsman should be unproblematic. Strong records, quick responses and comprehensive repair trails will help defend complaints. For landlords with inadequate communication or casual systems, the risk is much greater.

Manchester Landlords Action Plan

Landlords should now conduct 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 organised approach to property management. Compliance is no longer something to review only at the start of a tenancy. It now touches every stage of the landlord and tenant relationship.

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