Regulation changes in 2025 that landlords need to be aware of

July 2, 2025

Being a landlord means you need to be aware of the current housing legislation that applies to rental properties. Unless you use a property lettings and management company to take care of your property, you will have to do the work to make sure your property and tenancy comply with all legal conditions.

Even if you do use a management agent, it’s still worth knowing what is coming so that you can adjust your long-term investment strategy and maximise your return on investment. Here are the laws landlords need to know about over the second half of 2025.

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What changes does the Renter’s Rights Bill make for landlords?

The Renters’ Rights Bill is the most important legislation in the sector for many years and is expected to come into force in Autumn 2025. The most significant parts are:

The end of ‘fixed term’ tenancies – All Assured Shorthold Tenancies will be converted overnight into Assured Tenancies. That means they will automatically become periodic – or ‘rolling’ – and the tenant can leave whenever they want with two months’ notice. They can also stay for as long as they want to, unless any of the amended grounds for possession clauses are triggered. For more on that, please see below.
Abolition of Section 21 – Otherwise known as the ‘no fault’ clause, this allowed landlords to evict tenants without any reason. It is seen as a main cause of instability in the lives of renters, and so it will be abolished by the new Bill.
Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard – These will be applied to the rental sector to raise the quality of housing and set clear timeframes within which repair works have to be done in the event of a serious hazard.
And end to ‘rent bidding’ and large rent payments up front – You will now only be able to rent your property for the advertised price rather than make tenants bid against each other to try and secure an even higher rent. Landlords will also no longer be able to ask for or receive multiple months’ rent up front.

Other measures which will have an impact include:

Strengthening of renters’ rights to have a pet.
Outlawing discrimination based on whether a potential tenant has children or is in receipt of benefits.
Creation of a Private Rented Sector database and a Landlords’ Ombudsman to deal with complaints.
Greater protections against ‘backdoor evictions’ where landlords raise rents unreasonably to try and force renters to leave.
Rent rises can only be done via a Section 13 notice. No other methods are allowed.

This is a wide-ranging bill that will change many aspects of renting and letting property in the UK. All landlords should be aware of the details, which you can read here.

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How can landlords repossess their property without Section 21?

Section 21 was used by many landlords to repossess property from tenants. Unfortunately, it was often misused and abused by many, negatively affecting millions of people in recent decades.

It has now been declared unfit for purpose. However, the Renters’ Rights Bill has expanded grounds for repossession in other areas, so landlords still have good options, including:

If you want to sell the property – Ground 1A – Mandatory – Four months’ notice
You or your family want to move into the property – Ground 1 – Mandatory – Four months’ notice
If you want to redevelop the property – Ground 6 – Four months’ notice
If the tenant has committed ‘serious anti-social behaviour’ – Ground 7a – Immediate
If the tenant is in serious arrears – Ground 8 – Four weeks’ notice
If the tenant is in arrears of any amount – Ground 10 – Four weeks’ notice

There are more grounds for repossession, and each has certain conditions and clauses. These include discretionary grounds where a landlord can argue the case in court. You can see the full details of Section 8 grounds for possession here, or you can employ a professional lettings and management agent who will take care of everything on your behalf.

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How does the Renters’ Rights Bill affect landlords?

Overall, it is a good thing for the rental sector as a whole, which also benefits landlords. Having absolute clarity and certainty means that you can plan for the long term, and you know exactly what tools you have at your disposal to deal with any problems.

For example, many landlords have instinctively believed the loss of Section 21 is a bad thing, but that’s only the case if you were planning to evict tenants for no reason. The amended and expanded Section 8 covers all legitimate reasons for a landlord to evict tenants.

Additional costs required to bring the property up to a good standard should also not be seen as a negative. They are core duties for any landlord, and the property should be well-maintained already, regardless of any new laws.

In all cases, landlords should bear in mind that better properties, which are well-maintained, will lead to higher rents, improved yields and a superior return on investment in the long term.

Furthermore, landlords should not be put off by contracts becoming periodic, as this has always been the case at the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy. Likewise, chasing short-term gain with ‘rental bidding’ practices all but guarantees your tenant will take the first opportunity to leave, raising the risk of void periods and loss of income.

A fairer rental sector is better for everyone involved. It gives tenants the ability to make a rented property into a real home, and it means landlords will have more certainty at every stage. That makes it more likely you will have a tenant for the long term without sacrificing rental growth – the best of all worlds.

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Will EPC changes make new properties the most desirable investment?

The government has proposed that EPC C will apply to new tenancies from 2028 and that all tenancies will be required to be compliant by 2030, although there is no certainty yet. None of this has been confirmed, and no definite timetable is in place. However, it is expected that more news will come before the end of 2025.

Implications for landlords if the change goes ahead include:

The potential for expensive renovations in older properties.
A higher value will be placed on long tenancies, especially those that begin before 2028, so that you have more time to raise the EPC standard of the property.
New properties – including off-plan buy-to-let property for sale – will be hugely valuable to landlords as they will be completed to a high EPC standard.

That means if you buy off-plan property for sale in the UK, you won’t need to worry about any potential changes to EPC legislation as part of the Warm Homes Plan. That has obvious benefits for landlords:

No renovation costs.
A property that is more attractive to tenants.
Lower chance of void periods.
Higher demand means potential for higher rents.

That makes buying new off-plan property the smartest move for any long-term investment strategy. It’s a future-proofed investment in more ways than one.

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Learn more about the future of the UK buy-to-let sector today

Get in touch with our team of property Investment Advisors to discuss legislation changes further and to develop a bespoke investment strategy. Contact us today to learn more.

Regulation changes in 2025 that landlords need to be aware of

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