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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...

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Covid-19, Possessions

Your guide to protection against eviction for tenants during Covid-19

The government will put in place a package of measures to protect both landlords and tenants during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Suzy Lycett

Mar 19, 2020

⚠️ This article was originally published on 19 March 2020. An updated post on the current situation with regard to government guidance on this topic can be found here.

The government has now published emergency coronavirus legislation which sets out the rights of tenants for eviction proceedings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The measures will be applicable to all tenants in the private and social rented sectors.

They state that eviction notice periods are to be extended from two to three months, to “delay when landlords are able to evict tenants.” The legislation leaves space for the government to extend the notice period to six months.

The new measures don’t stop landlords from “serving a notice of intention to process” and the tenant will still be liable for rental payments.

However, the government previously suggested that landlords should "show compassion" to “allow tenants who are affected to remain in their homes wherever possible”.

Landlords will also receive protection, with a three-month mortgage payment holiday now also extended to Buy to Let mortgages.

Although not specified in the published legislation, the government has stated that they will be offering government-backed Help to Buy equity loan holders interest payment holidays.

The government also aims to widen the scope of the “pre-action protocol” on possession proceedings, traditionally only applicable to social tenants, to include private tenants. This protocol encourages more engagement between the landlord and tenant to resolve disputes and to avoid court proceedings. Landlords will need to speak with tenants to better understand their financial situation.

This article is intended as a guide only. It is not exhaustive and doesn't constitute legal advice. See gov.uk more information.

Your guide to protection against eviction for tenants during Covid-19

Further reading

Your guide to the Rental Mediation Service [blog + infosheet]

Post-holiday lettings update: Tenant safety as priority

UPDATE: Six-month notice period comes into law and "winter truce" on evictions announced

Reapit: 4 challenges and opportunities your landlords face, from rent arrears to buy to let

The Covid-19 legislation deadlines that letting agents need to know in England, Scotland, and Wales