First Renters' Rights Act Changes Take Effect on 27 December 2025

First Renters’ Rights Act Changes Take Effect on 27 December 2025

The first wave of changes under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 comes into force on 27 December, marking a significant shift in how Local Housing Authorities (LHAs) can investigate landlords and letting agents.

These new powers are designed to raise standards across the private rented sector and ensure greater accountability for anyone managing, marketing, or letting rental property.

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What’s Changing?

Local Housing Authorities will now have stronger rights to request information, inspect premises, and investigate potential breaches of housing law, from illegal eviction to non-compliance with licensing or standards.

Requests for Information

Under Sections 114 and 115, LHAs can now:

• Ask landlords, agents, marketers, or anyone with an interest in a property in the past 12 months to provide written information.

• Require details on lettings, management, marketing, client money, or tenancy records.

• Seek court orders if someone fails to comply without reasonable excuse.

Failure to respond, or providing false or misleading information, can lead to significant fines.

Entry to Premises

LHAs can now:

• Enter business premises (like letting agency offices) with 24 hours’ written notice or a warrant if entry is refused or advance warning could obstruct the investigation.

• Enter residential rental properties with 24 hours’ written notice or a warrant, if there’s reasonable suspicion of a breach.

They can inspect, photograph, and seize documents where they believe these are relevant to an investigation.

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What Letting Agents and Landlords Should Do

To stay compliant:

• Keep clear and organised records covering your lettings, management, client money, and tenant communications.

• Respond promptly and accurately to any written requests under Sections 114 or 115.

• If unsure, seek professional guidance  don’t ignore an official notice.

• Make sure your CMP (Client Money Protection) membership and evidence are up to date.

The changes also allow LHAs to cross-check data from Council Tax, Housing Benefit, and tenancy deposit schemes, helping to spot unlicensed properties, overcrowding, or fraudulent benefit claims.

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Expert Perspective: What This Means for the Sector

According to Lisa Bailey, at Personal Economy Lettings:

“This is a wake-up call for the industry to keep records in order and processes watertight.
For good agents, it reinforces the importance of transparency and compliance something we’ve built our service around from day one.”

These new powers signal a move toward proactive enforcement, ensuring that standards are not just set but properly upheld. For compliant agents and landlords, this should strengthen trust and confidence in the private rented sector.

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Stay Informed and Protected

At Personal Economy Lettings, we help landlords stay compliant and confident through clear guidance, transparent processes, and proactive management.

If you’d like to review your compliance systems before the new rules take effect, book a Clarity Call with our team — we’ll make sure everything’s in order.

👉 Book a Clarity Call with Personal Economy Lettings

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