Renters Rights Act 2025: A Property Portfolio Manager's Review

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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 significantly than any housing reform in recent decades. For Manchester landlords, the biggest change is plain: Section 21 has gone, fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies have transferred to periodic tenancies, and landlords must now rely on specific Section 8 grounds to regain 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 affects tenancy agreements, rent increases, possession planning, student lets, advertising, property standards, tenant complaints and compliance records.

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

Section 21 Has Been Abolished

Section 21 previously permitted landlords to regain possession of a property without establishing tenant fault. It gave a route to end an Assured Shorthold Tenancy once the correct notice and procedural requirements had been met.

That route has now been eliminated.

Landlords can no longer file 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 changes the risk profile of letting property because possession is no longer an certain process based on notice expiry.

For Manchester landlords seeking to offload, move into a property, reconstruct a house, or operate 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 converted 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' written notice, but landlords cannot simply wait for a fixed term to expire and then seek 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 Landlords should check all tenancy templates and remove outdated Assured Shorthold Tenancy wording before issuing new tenancies.

The 31 May Information Sheet Deadline

One of the most immediate compliance duties is the requirement to deliver the Government Information Sheet to existing tenants. Tenants whose tenancies changed to periodic tenancies must be given the document by 31 May 2026.

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

Failure to deliver the necessary documents can place 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 preserve evidence of service, including the date, method and tenant details. A simple email record may not be satisfactory if the process is unreliable. A thorough 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 here compulsory, meaning the court must give possession if the ground is proven. Others are flexible, meaning the court determines 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 enables student-let cycles by permitting possession where a qualifying student property needs to be re-let for the next academic year.
• Ground 6, where the landlord intends to demolish or extensively redevelop the property.
• Ground 8, where the tenant is in severe rent arrears.
• Ground 8A, which addresses repeated arrears.
• Ground 14, which refers to anti-social behaviour.

For Manchester landlords, Ground 4A is especially significant in student areas such as Fallowfield, Withington and Rusholme. Without a viable student possession ground, landlords could have difficulty to synchronise 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 promote 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 used in residential lettings advertising.

Even if a tenant voluntarily proposes more than the advertised rent, agreeing to that offer can contravene the rules. This makes precise pricing more critical than ever.

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

Property Portal Registration

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

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

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

Manchester landlords should organise property files now. Each property should have a well-ordered folder holding certificates, licence references, tenancy documents, deposit evidence and repair records.

Decent Homes Standard for Private Lets

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

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

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

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

Awaab's Law and Damp and Mould Duties

Awaab's Law sets strict duties on landlords when tenants report damp, mould or serious hazards. Landlords must assess within set timescales, provide written findings, and initiate remedial action within the prescribed period.

For Manchester landlords, the key issue is process. A casual repair system based on text messages, email chains or informal updates is no longer sufficient.

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

Pets, Benefits and Anti-Discrimination Rules

Tenants now have a statutory right to seek a pet. Landlords can decline only where there is a justifiable 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 prohibits blanket refusals against tenants with children or tenants claiming benefits. Landlords can still assess affordability, referencing, income and suitability. What they cannot do is exclude an entire group automatically.

Lettings adverts should be examined diligently. Phrases such as "no DSS", "professionals only" or "no children" may create enforcement risk.

Private Rented Sector Ombudsman

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

For well-managed landlords, the Ombudsman should be unproblematic. Good records, quick responses and well-documented repair trails will assist respond to complaints. For landlords with deficient communication or unstructured systems, the vulnerability is much higher.

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 requires a more rigorous approach to property management. Compliance is no longer something to check only at the start of a tenancy. It now touches every stage of the landlord and tenant relationship.

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