Renters Rights Act 2025: A Property Manager's 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 markedly 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 secure possession.

For portfolio landlords, HMO owners, and buy-to-let investors across Manchester, South Manchester and Cheshire, this is not simply an procedural update. It influences tenancy agreements, rent increases, possession planning, student lets, advertising, property standards, tenant complaints and compliance records.

This guide covers 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 correct notice and procedural requirements had been met.

That route has now been removed.

Landlords can no longer file a new Section 21 notice. The only legal route to possession is now Section 8, which means the landlord must evidence a valid legal ground. This shifts the risk profile of letting property because possession is no longer an guaranteed 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 considered 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 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' recorded notice, but landlords cannot simply wait for a fixed term to expire and then request possession.

Existing tenancy agreements still matter, but fixed-term clauses, minimum-term commitments and break clauses are no longer binding in the same way. Landlords should review all tenancy templates and eliminate outdated Assured Shorthold Tenancy wording before granting new tenancies.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 converted to periodic tenancies must obtain the document by 31 May 2026.

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

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

Landlords should preserve evidence of service, including the date, method and tenant details. A simple email record may not be enough if the process is irregular. A proper compliance trail is now critical.

The New Section 8 Possession Grounds

Section 8 is now the central possession route for private landlords. Some grounds are compulsory, meaning the court must grant 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 assists student-let cycles by enabling possession where a appropriate student property needs to be re-let for the next academic year.
• Ground 6, where the landlord intends to demolish or substantially renovate the property.
• Ground 8, where the tenant is in significant rent arrears.
• Ground 8A, which deals with repeated arrears.
• Ground 14, which refers to anti-social behaviour.

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

Rent Bidding Is Now Banned

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

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

Even if a tenant freely tenders more than the advertised rent, taking that offer can contravene the rules. This makes correct pricing more critical than ever.

In busy Manchester markets, including Didsbury, Chorlton, Salford Quays and sought-after student areas, landlords need robust comparable evidence before listing. Undervaluing the property may cut yield. Overvaluing the property may prolong 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 described as the Property Portal. Landlords and privately rented properties must be registered.

The portal is anticipated 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 issue 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 well-ordered folder storing certificates, licence references, tenancy documents, deposit evidence and repair records.

Decent Homes Standard for Private Lets

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

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

This is especially significant for The Renters’ Rights Act older Manchester housing stock, including Victorian terraces, period conversions, older HMOs and properties that have been tenanted for many years without substantial refurbishment.

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

Awaab's Law and Damp and Mould Duties

Awaab's Law imposes firm duties on landlords when tenants flag damp, mould or serious hazards. Landlords must examine within specified timescales, provide written findings, and start remedial action within the prescribed period.

For Manchester landlords, the key issue is process. A informal repair system reliant on text messages, email chains or spoken updates is no longer satisfactory.

Every report should be logged. Every inspection should be noted. Every outcome should be recorded in writing. Where remedial work is necessary, landlords should log 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 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 compliant.

The Act also prevents blanket refusals against tenants with children or tenants in receipt of benefits. Landlords can still appraise affordability, referencing, income and suitability. What they cannot do is rule out an entire group automatically.

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

Private Rented Sector Ombudsman

Private landlords must also be signed up to the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman. This provides tenants a formal route to submit complaints about repairs, communication, conduct, deposits and property management.

For properly managed landlords, the Ombudsman should be manageable. Proper records, quick responses and detailed repair trails will help address complaints. For landlords with inadequate communication or informal systems, the liability is much greater.

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

The most prudent approach is to treat 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.