Renters Rights Act 2025: A Property Manager's Checklist

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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 substantially 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 depend on specific Section 8 grounds to secure 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 influences tenancy agreements, rent increases, possession planning, student lets, advertising, property standards, tenant complaints and compliance records.

This guide explains the key changes and the concrete actions landlords should take now.

Section 21 Has Been Abolished

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

That route has now been withdrawn.

Landlords can no longer submit 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 alters the risk profile of letting property because possession is no longer an straightforward process based on notice expiry.

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

Existing ASTs Have Converted to Periodic Tenancies

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

A periodic tenancy rolls from rental period to rental period, usually month to month. Tenants can end the tenancy by giving two months' formal notice, but landlords cannot simply wait for a fixed term to expire and then require 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 Landlords should check all tenancy templates and strip outdated Assured Shorthold Tenancy wording before creating new tenancies.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 receive the document by 31 May 2026.

Where a tenancy was previously unwritten rather than written, landlords must also furnish 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 serious financial risk.

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

The New Section 8 Possession Grounds

Section 8 is now the central possession route for private landlords. Some grounds are obligatory, meaning the court must issue possession if the ground is established. Others are flexible, meaning the court decides 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 supports 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 knock down or significantly renovate the property.
• Ground 8, where the tenant is in substantial rent arrears.
• Ground 8A, which deals with repeated arrears.
• Ground 14, which refers to anti-social behaviour.

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

Rent Bidding Is Now Banned

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

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

Even if a tenant freely offers more than the advertised rent, agreeing to that offer can violate the rules. This makes accurate pricing more important than ever.

In competitive Manchester markets, including Didsbury, Chorlton, Salford Quays and busy student areas, landlords need robust comparable evidence before listing. Undervaluing the property may cut yield. Setting the rent too high may extend void periods. There is no longer a lawful bidding process to revise the rent upwards later.

Property Portal Registration

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

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

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

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

Decent Homes Standard for Private Lets

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

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

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

A licensed HMO will not automatically meet the Decent Homes Standard. Licensing and property condition standards overlap, but they are not equivalent. Damp, mould, excess cold, unsafe electrics, deficient heating or significant fall risks can still create compliance problems.

Awaab's Law and Damp and Mould Duties

Awaab's Law places rigorous duties on landlords when tenants flag damp, mould or serious hazards. Landlords must investigate within set timescales, issue written findings, and commence remedial action within the prescribed period.

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

Every report should be recorded. Every inspection should be noted. Every outcome should be recorded in writing. Where remedial work is necessary, landlords should document instructions, contractor attendance, completion dates and tenant communication.

Pets, Benefits and Anti-Discrimination Rules

Tenants now have a statutory right to request a pet. Landlords can reject only where there is a valid ground, such as a leasehold restriction, impractical property type or animal welfare concern. A blanket "no pets" policy is doubtful to be acceptable.

The Act also restricts blanket refusals against tenants with children or tenants drawing benefits. Landlords can still evaluate affordability, referencing, income and suitability. What they cannot do is reject an entire group wholesale.

Lettings adverts should be reviewed carefully. Phrases such as "no DSS", "professionals only" or "no children" may carry enforcement risk.

Private Rented Sector Ombudsman

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

For properly managed landlords, the Ombudsman should be workable. Thorough records, prompt responses and well-documented repair trails will support respond to complaints. For landlords with inadequate communication or informal systems, the vulnerability is much more substantial.

Manchester Landlords Action Plan

Landlords should now carry out 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 necessitates a more structured approach to property management. Compliance is no longer something to examine only at the start of a tenancy. It now impacts every stage of the landlord and tenant relationship.

The safest 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.