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May 1 2026 - Renters' Right Act Commencement Day

You have 0 days to:

Serve any final Section 21 notices

Stop accepting above-asking rent offers

Prepare for the rental bidding ban

Remove “No DSS” from adverts

Remove “No Children” from listings

Show one clear rent price

Stop using fixed-term agreements

Switch to periodic tenancy templates

Check which tenancies go periodic

Stop taking rent before signing

Take no more than one month’s rent

Move all evictions to Section 8

Train staff on new notice rules

Create Section 13 process flow

Add two months to rent reviews

File court claims for Section 21s

Update landlord move-in grounds

Update landlord selling grounds

Send the RRA Information Sheet

Create written terms where missing

Update How to Rent processes

Review tenant screening questions

Update pet request processes

Stop backdating rent increases

Discuss rent protection backbooks

Act now before it is too late...

Act now!

Covid-19

Evictions will not be enforced by bailiffs in areas with Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions

The justice secretary wrote to bailiffs’ trade associations requesting that they do not carry out evictions in areas under Tier 2 and Tier 3 Covid-19 restrictions.

Andrea Warmington

Oct 26, 2020

Bailiffs have agreed not to enforce court orders against tenants living in areas where Tier 2 and Tier 3 Covid-19 restrictions are in place. Eviction proceedings can still take place in the courts.

Robert Buckland, the justice secretary, wrote to bailiffs’ trade associations requesting that they do not carry out evictions in tier 2 and tier 3.

"We would request that your members should instruct the enforcement agents working under their authorisation not to enter properties that are classified as local alert level 2 (high) or 3 (very high), for the purposes of enforcement including taking control of goods and carrying out evictions.”

The High Court Enforcement Officers Association agreed to the request, with Andrew Wilson, chair of the High Court Enforcement Officers Association, commented that the request was “in line with the interpretation of the guidance that our members had already taken, but it is very useful to have it confirmed in writing from the lord chancellor.”

This makes it unlikely that any tenants living in areas under tier 2 and 3 restrictions will be evicted until at least 12 January, given the government’s commitment to not to evict any tenants between 11 December to 11 January under the so-called “winter truce”.

Evictions will not be enforced by bailiffs in areas with Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions

Further reading

Update: Your guide to what the Tier 4 and third lockdown restrictions mean for letting agents and house moves

Post-holiday lettings update: Tenant safety as priority

Tougher rules for businesses not following Covid-secure guidance when English lockdown ends

Analysis of Tier 3 impact on Leicester lettings foreshadows lockdown slump

Rent arrears of greater than six months exempt from evictions ban - including rent accrued since March 2020