How the transition to your new rights will work
What happens if you are already living in a property on 1 May 2026?
What happens: On 1 May 2026, your contract automatically becomes rolling and the end date of your old fixed-term contract no longer applies. If you still wish to leave the property on the original end date, you will need to give two months’ notice.
Additional rule for student houses (HMOs): If your home is an HMO student let, unless you've signed a new agreement the landlord will likely want possession of the property. Most likely because the property has been let to a new set of students for the next academic year.
In this instance the landlord will serve a Section 21 possession notice before 1 May 2026, giving you at least two months' notice of when they want to get their property back.
What happens if you have signed a tenancy but haven’t moved in when the new Act comes in?
What happens: If you’ve signed before 1 May 2026 but not moved in, when you move in, the fixed end date in the original agreement will not apply. The agreement runs as a month-to-month tenancy. If you want to leave you will need to give 2 months' notice. This could be at any point once the tenancy has begun.
If you are in a joint tenancy with other students it is important to remember that this decision will affect them and essentially end the tenancy for everyone. If you want to do this it is recommended to speak to the other tenants and your landlord to make any changes as easy as possible.
For student houses: If you will be living in an HMO the landlord will likely serve you with a notice between the 1st and 31st May 2026 to inform you that in the future they reserve the right to use a Ground 4A Possession Notice (part of Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988) between 1st May and 30th September the foillowing year. They must give you four months’ written notice that they intend to do this.
What happens if you haven’t signed anything by 1 May 2026?
What happens: Everything you sign on or after 1 May 2026 has to be a new, monthly “periodic” tenancy. There are no fixed terms – it runs month-to-month from the start. Your landlord should provide government issued guidance on your new rights when you sign the tenancy.
For student HMO lets: The landlord must give you a written statement before you sign saying it’s a student let and that they intend to re-let to students. In the future, if you do not want to stay or you will no longer be a student the landlord will likely use a Ground 4A Possession Notice to regain possession.
I am a student living in purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA)…
Most of the changes in the Renters’ Rights Act don’t apply if you live in purpose-built student accommodation, but you still have rights through accommodation codes.