Letting in England changed a lot in 2026. Section 21 has gone, fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies have gone, and a national landlord register is about to open. At the same time, the old jobs haven't gone anywhere: deposits still need protecting, gas safety records still expire, and right to rent checks still need follow-ups.
This guide sets out what a UK letting agent has to handle and when, in plain English. It covers the Renters' Rights Act dates, a compliance calendar, deposits, right to rent, safety certificates, the tenancy lifecycle, and what letting agent software should do for you.
What changed in 2026: the Renters' Rights Act
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025.1 The government is bringing it in over several phases. Here are the dates that matter most for letting agents.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 27 Dec 2025 | Stronger council investigation powers start.2 |
| 1 May 2026 | Section 21 abolished. Most tenancies become assured periodic (rolling) tenancies. Rent rises limited to once a year. Rental bidding banned. Rent in advance limited. Bans on discrimination against renters with children or on benefits. Pet requests must be considered.2 |
| 31 May 2026 | Deadline to give existing tenants the government's Information Sheet.3 |
| 1 Oct 2026 | A new right to rent guide applies to checks made on or after this date.4 |
| 15 Dec 2026 | The "Register your rental property" service opens, starting in the West Midlands.5 |
| 14 Nov 2027 | The last regional registration window (South West) closes.5 |
| 2028 | Landlord Ombudsman membership expected to become mandatory.2 |
| 1 Oct 2030 | All private tenancies must meet the higher energy standard (EPC C on new metrics).6 |
What it means day to day
- No more fixed terms. On 1 May 2026, all assured tenancies, including assured shorthold tenancies, became rolling tenancies. You can't create a new assured shorthold tenancy.7 Tenants can end a tenancy with two months' notice.1
- Rent increases follow one route. Rent can go up once a year, not in the first year, using Form 4A with at least two months' notice.8
- No bidding. You must publish an asking rent and can't accept offers above it.1
- Limited rent in advance. No rent before the tenancy agreement is signed. Between signing and the start date you can ask for the first month's rent, or up to 28 days' rent for weekly tenancies.9
- New paperwork. For tenancies from 1 May 2026, tenants must get written information about the key terms before they sign. The fine for getting it wrong is up to £7,000.10 The old How to Rent guide was withdrawn on 1 May 2026.11
The penalties are real. Under the Act, councils can issue civil penalties of up to £7,000 for initial or minor breaches, and up to £40,000 or prosecution for serious or repeated ones.1
The letting agent compliance calendar
Most compliance work is about dates: something must happen before move-in, within 30 days, every year or every five years. This table puts the main duties in England in one place.
| Duty | The rule | When |
|---|---|---|
| Right to rent | Check every adult who will live there | Before the tenancy; within 28 days before it for time-limited permission12 |
| Right to rent follow-up | Recheck tenants with time-limited permission | Just before their permission ends, or 12 months after the last check, whichever is later13 |
| Holding deposit | No more than 1 week's rent | Before the agreement14 |
| Tenancy deposit | No more than 5 weeks' rent (6 weeks if annual rent is £50,000 to £100,000) | At the start14 |
| Deposit protection | Protect it in an approved scheme | Within 30 days of receiving it15 |
| Prescribed information | Give the tenant the scheme and deposit details | Within 30 days of receiving the deposit16 |
| Gas safety | Check by a Gas Safe registered engineer | Every 12 months; copy to tenants within 28 days17 |
| Electrical safety (EICR) | Inspect and test the installation | At least every 5 years18 |
| EPC | Rating of E or above, or a registered exemption | Before letting; certificates last 10 years1920 |
| Smoke and CO alarms | Working alarms where required | Checked on the day a new tenancy starts21 |
| Rent increase | Form 4A, two months' notice | Once a year, not in the first year8 |
| Client money protection | Belong to an approved scheme if you hold client money | Always; show the certificate22 |
| Redress scheme | Join an approved redress scheme | Always23 |
| Landlord register | Landlord registers each let property | In the region's window, 15 Dec 2026 to 14 Nov 20275 |
The two agency-level duties carry their own fines. An agent who holds client money without joining a client money protection scheme can be fined up to £30,000.22 Not joining a redress scheme can mean a fine of up to £5,000.23
Deposits: caps, protection and return
How much you can take
A holding deposit can be no more than one week's rent. A tenancy deposit can be up to five weeks' rent where the annual rent is below £50,000, and up to six weeks' rent between £50,000 and £100,000. The Tenant Fees Act doesn't apply above £100,000 a year.14 A week's rent is the annual rent divided by 52, so for a monthly rent you multiply by 12 and divide by 52.24
Use the calculator to check the limits for a rent. The starting figure is a placeholder.
Deposit and upfront payment limits (England)
Protecting the deposit
You (or the landlord) must protect the deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it. In England and Wales the schemes are the Deposit Protection Service, mydeposits and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.15 Within the same 30 days, the tenant must get the prescribed information: the property address, the deposit amount, how it's protected, the scheme's details and dispute service, your contact details, why you might keep some of it, and how to get it back.16
Getting this wrong is expensive. If a deposit isn't protected, a court can order it repaid or paid into a scheme within 14 days, and can order the landlord to pay the tenant up to three times the deposit. The court may also decide the tenant doesn't have to leave when the tenancy ends.25
Returning it
The deposit must be returned within 10 days of you and the tenant agreeing how much they get back.15 If you want to make deductions, evidence decides the outcome. One scheme puts it plainly: the deposit belongs to the tenant until the landlord provides evidence. Its guidance says a check-in inventory carries the most weight when both landlord and tenant sign it, and that check-in and check-out reports let the adjudicator compare the two directly.26
Right to rent checks
In England, you must check that every tenant or lodger aged 18 and over can legally rent, before the tenancy starts. That includes adults who aren't named on the agreement. Check every new tenant, not only those you think aren't British citizens.12 Landlords can ask their letting or managing agent to do the checks, and that agreement should be in writing.27
Timing matters in three places:
- Time-limited permission: the check must happen in the 28 days before the tenancy starts.12
- Follow-up checks: just before the later of the end of the tenant's permission, or 12 months after the previous check. If a tenant can no longer rent, you must tell the Home Office.13
- Records: keep copies for the whole tenancy and at least one year after it ends, then destroy them securely.4
The guide for checks from 1 October 2026 requires registered providers for digital checks, reflects the move away from visa vignettes, and says people who hold only an eVisa must prove their right to rent through the Home Office online service. The civil penalty for letting to someone without the right to rent is up to £10,000 per occupier for a first breach and £20,000 for a repeat breach (£5,000 and £10,000 for a lodger).4
Safety certificates and alarms
Gas safety
Gas appliances and flues the landlord provides need a safety check every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Existing tenants get a copy of the record within 28 days of the check, new tenants get one before they move in, and you keep each record for two years. If your management contract makes you responsible, the same duties apply to you as the agent.17
Electrical safety
Landlords must have the electrical installation inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified person.18 The regulations also require a copy of the report for existing tenants within 28 days, for new tenants before they move in, and for the council within 7 days if it asks. Any remedial work must be done within 28 days.28
Energy performance
You can't let a home with an EPC rating below E unless a valid exemption is registered. The maximum fine is £5,000 per property.19 An EPC is valid for 10 years.20 The bar is rising: the government's response confirms that private landlords must meet a higher standard, EPC C on new metrics, by 1 October 2030, with spending capped at £10,000 per property.6
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Since 1 October 2022, there must be at least one smoke alarm on each storey with a room used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any such room with a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker. Alarms must work on the day a new tenancy begins and be repaired or replaced once you're told they're faulty. Councils can fine up to £5,000 if a remedial notice isn't followed.21
These certificates matter for one more reason. The new landlord register asks for the gas safety certificate, the electrical report and the EPC. Agents can add rental details and upload certificates through a link sent to the agency, but the landlord has to start each registration.29 Registration costs £65 per property per year, and failing to register can mean a penalty of up to £7,000.5
The tenancy lifecycle, step by step
Compliance is easier when you see it as one path, from first enquiry to deposit return. Each step has its own paperwork.
- ApplicantAdvertise an asking rent, take no bids, check right to rent.
- AgreementWritten terms before signing; holding deposit within the cap.
- Move-inCertificates handed over, alarms tested, inventory signed, deposit protected.
- RentCharges on schedule, payments recorded, arrears chased early.
- InspectionsRoutine visits, repairs logged and followed to the end.
- Review or noticeAnnual rent review by Form 4A, or notice from either side.
- Check-outCheck-out report against the inventory; agree and return the deposit.
Notice that "renewal" has changed. In England, new assured tenancies run on a rolling basis, so the yearly job is a rent review and handling notice, not signing a new fixed term. Rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and some lettings fall outside the assured tenancy rules, so check which rules apply before you plan a renewal. Your software should handle both rolling and fixed-term tenancies.
What letting agent software should automate
Good letting agent software doesn't make you compliant by itself. What it does is make sure nothing depends on someone's memory. Here's what to look for.
| Job | What the software should do |
|---|---|
| Certificate expiry | Store each certificate with its expiry date and create a task well before it runs out |
| Right to rent follow-ups | Remind you before time-limited permission ends |
| Deposits | Record the amount, date received and reference, and keep the scheme certificate on file |
| Rent | Build the rent schedule, record payments and show arrears the day they happen |
| Rent reviews and renewals | List what's due for review or ending, and track notices |
| Inspections and repairs | Book visits, record each room's condition, and follow repairs to the end |
| Landlord statements | Show rent in, fees and costs out, and what's due to the landlord |
| Audit trail | Keep a record of who changed what, and when |
CRM, property management, block management or inventory software?
The names overlap, so it helps to know what each is for.
Estate agent CRM
Leads, viewings, offers and sales progress. Built around winning instructions and closing deals.
Letting agent and property management software
Tenancies, rent, deposits, compliance dates, repairs and landlord statements. Built around the months after move-in.
Block management software
Whole buildings with leaseholders. Look for service charge budgets and leaseholder accounts, which are specialist jobs.
Property inventory software
Detailed check-in and check-out reports. Look for room-by-room condition records you can compare at the end.
Many agencies do both sales and lettings. If that's you, one system that covers leads and tenancies avoids typing the same landlord twice and keeps the history in one place.
New tenancy checklist (England)
Use this before each new tenancy starts. Tick as you go.
Before and at move-in
If you can't tick an item, fix it before move-in where you can. Most of the fines in this guide come from small, missed steps rather than big decisions, and they are the easiest to prevent with clear dates and reminders.
Questions people ask
What should letting agent software do?
It should store tenancies, rent schedules and deposits, record payments and arrears, keep certificates with expiry reminders, book inspections and repairs, and produce landlord statements. The aim is that no compliance date depends on someone remembering it.
How long do I have to protect a tenancy deposit in England?
You must protect it in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it, and give the tenant the prescribed information within the same 30 days. The schemes in England and Wales are the Deposit Protection Service, mydeposits and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
Can I still offer a 12-month fixed-term tenancy in England?
Not as an assured tenancy. Since 1 May 2026, assured tenancies run on a rolling basis and you cannot create a new assured shorthold tenancy. Rent can be increased once a year using the section 13 process with Form 4A.
How often do gas and electrical safety checks need to be done?
Gas appliances the landlord provides need a safety check every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The electrical installation must be inspected and tested at least every five years.
Do letting agents have to register properties on the new landlord database?
The landlord must start each registration on the Register your rental property service, which opens region by region from 15 December 2026. Agents can add rental details and upload certificates through a link sent to the agency.
Does Kelo protect deposits or take rent payments?
No. Kelo records deposits and rent payments, but it never takes or sends money and does not register deposits with any scheme. You protect the deposit with your scheme and keep the certificate on the tenancy in Kelo.
See it working in your own office
Kelo for Real Estate brings listings, leads, viewings, deals, tenancies, rent and repairs into one place. Try every feature free for 14 days, no card needed.
Sources
- Guide to the Renters' Rights Act — GOV.UK
- Implementing the Renters' Rights Act 2025: our roadmap for reforming the private rented sector — GOV.UK
- The Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 — GOV.UK
- Landlord's guide to right to rent checks: 1 October 2026 — Home Office (GOV.UK)
- Register your rental property service: guidance for landlords — GOV.UK
- Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: government response — GOV.UK
- Renters' Rights Act: an overview for landlords — GOV.UK
- Renting out your property: rent increases — GOV.UK
- Asking for rent in advance: guidance for local authorities — GOV.UK
- Tenancy agreements: written information for your tenant — GOV.UK
- How to rent (withdrawn 1 May 2026) — GOV.UK
- Check your tenant's right to rent — GOV.UK
- Check your tenant's right to rent: follow-up checks — GOV.UK
- Fees you can charge as part of a tenancy — GOV.UK
- Deposit protection schemes and landlords — GOV.UK
- Deposit protection schemes and landlords: information you must give to your tenants — GOV.UK
- Gas safety: landlords and letting agents (FAQs) — Health and Safety Executive
- Guide for landlords: electrical safety standards in the private rented sector — GOV.UK
- Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard - landlord guidance — GOV.UK
- Buying or selling your home: energy performance certificates — GOV.UK
- Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022: guidance for landlords and tenants — GOV.UK
- Protecting clients' money if you're a property agent — GOV.UK
- Registering with a redress scheme as a property agent — GOV.UK
- Prohibited and permitted payments — National Trading Standards Letting Agency Team (Bristol City Council)
- Tenancy deposit protection: if your landlord doesn't protect your deposit — GOV.UK
- Evidence for deposit disputes: what you need and how to prepare it — mydeposits
- Check your tenant's right to rent: agents and subletting — GOV.UK
- The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, regulation 3 — legislation.gov.uk
- Register your rental property service: guidance for letting agents and property managers — GOV.UK
Facts and figures were checked against the sources above on 5 November 2026. Rules and fees change, so check the current position before you act. This article is general information, not legal or financial advice.