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    "result": {"data":{"glstrapi":{"newsInsight":{"id":"69f4751d18cdd20c8f24bbbc","Title":"The Renters’ Rights Act is now live: Phase 1 recap ","URL":"the-renters-rights-act-is-now-live-phase-1-recap","News_Date":"2026-05-01","Meta_Title":"Renters’ Rights Act Phase 1: What Landlords Must Do Now (May 2026)","Meta_Description":"The Renters’ Rights Act is now live. A clear breakdown of Phase 1 changes, from tenant information sheets to rent rules and possession, and what London landlords need to do now. ","Banner_Image":{"url":"https://ggfx-davidastburys.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/i.prod/Website_Blog_Images_1700_x_800_px_3_0c002f6b91.jpg","alternativeText":""},"Above_Content":"<p dir=\"ltr\">The Renters&rsquo; Rights Act has officially reached Phase 1.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It marks the biggest shift the private rented sector has seen in decades, and understandably it has been a major focus for landlords across North London over the past few months.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Behind the scenes, we have been working closely with our landlords to prepare for this moment, from one-to-one conversations through to our recent webinar on 23 April, where over 550 landlords joined us to understand what is changing, what actually matters, and where to focus next.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If you have not watched it yet, it is worth your time:&nbsp;</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fITB4OyKew\">Watch: The Calm, Practical Plan Before May 2026</a></p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">For those looking for a clear refresher, here are the headline changes now that Phase 1 is in effect.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Tenant Information Sheet: what needs to be sent and when&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>\n<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This is one of the most immediate actions for landlords.&nbsp; If you have an existing tenancy (created before 1 May 2026) with written terms, you must provide the <a href=\"https://www.davidastburys.com/our-culture/latest-property-news/the-renters-rights-act-information-sheet-is-now-live-here-s-what-london-landlords-need-to-know/\">Tenant Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">For any new tenancies from 1 May onwards, the focus shifts slightly.&nbsp;</p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">ensure your tenancy agreements reflect the new structure</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">provide the updated written information alongside the tenancy</li>\n</ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">You can read the government guidance <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/renting-out-your-property-guidance-for-landlords-and-letting-agents/tenancy-agreements-written-information-for-your-tenant\">here.</a>&nbsp;</p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Tenancy structure: no more fixed terms&nbsp;</h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">From today, traditional fixed-term ASTs are no longer the default structure.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Tenancies now move to periodic agreements from day one, meaning:</p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">there is no fixed end date</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">tenants can serve notice with two months&rsquo; notice</li>\n</ul>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Section 21 has been removed&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Section 21 has now been abolished.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Landlords will need to rely on Section 8 notice to regain possession.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">That includes grounds such as:</p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">selling the property</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">moving back in</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">rent arrears</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">anti-social behaviour</li>\n</ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Possession is still possible, but it now comes down to using the correct ground and following the right process. Read more about regaining possession under section 8 in our guide <a href=\"https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0t_wRK0\">here</a>.</p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Rent increases: now through Section 13 only</h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">&nbsp;All rent increases must now be done via Section 13 notice.</p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">Once per year</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">Minimum two months&rsquo; notice</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">Must reflect market rent</li>\n</ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Tenants can challenge increases if they believe they are above market level, and any agreed change applies from the decision date. Rent is not back dated.&nbsp;</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This makes pricing discipline more important than ever.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">Market rules: tighter and more transparent</h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">There are now clear rules around how tenancies are agreed:</p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">Rental bidding is no longer allowed</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">You can only accept the advertised rent</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">Rent in advance is limited to one month, payable after signing</li>\n</ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This shifts the focus onto getting the price and positioning right from day one.</p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Pets and discrimination: more structure in decision making&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Tenants now have the right to request a pet, with a defined process and response timeframe.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">At the same time, landlords can no longer refuse tenants simply because they:</p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">have children</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">receive benefits</li>\n</ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">There is still room for justified decisions, but they need to be reasonable and clearly evidenced.</p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">What this means for landlords</h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Phase 1 is not about removing opportunity, it&rsquo;s about tightening process.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The landlords who will navigate this best are the ones who:</p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">get pricing right from the start</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">keep their documentation clean and up to date</li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\">understand how the rules apply and what their obligations are&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong id=\"docs-internal-guid-af458696-7fff-82bc-dc92-2114b8bfcba3\">If you want help making sure your tenancies and documents align with the new rules you can <a href=\"https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/adam-ray/rra-landlord-call-15-mins-adam?uuid=8e2b36dd-dddf-42f6-9485-d34fde50e80c\">book a 15-minute call with our RRA specialist Adam Ray.</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>","Below_Content":null,"imagetransforms":{"Tile_Image_Transforms":"{\"i.prod/Website_Blog_Images_7_8743582469.jpg\":{\"webp\":{\"448x288\":\"https://ggfx-davidastburys.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/x.prod/448x288/Website_Blog_Images_7_8743582469.webp\"},\"jpg\":{\"448x288\":\"https://ggfx-davidastburys.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/x.prod/448x288/Website_Blog_Images_7_8743582469.jpg\"}}}","Banner_Image_Transforms":"{\"i.prod/Website_Blog_Images_1700_x_800_px_3_0c002f6b91.jpg\":{\"webp\":{\"336x220\":\"https://ggfx-davidastburys.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/x.prod/336x220/Website_Blog_Images_1700_x_800_px_3_0c002f6b91.webp\",\"720x500\":\"https://ggfx-davidastburys.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/x.prod/720x500/Website_Blog_Images_1700_x_800_px_3_0c002f6b91.webp\",\"1704x680\":\"https://ggfx-davidastburys.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/x.prod/1704x680/Website_Blog_Images_1700_x_800_px_3_0c002f6b91.webp\"}}}"}}}},"pageContext":{"id":"69f4751d18cdd20c8f24bbbc","articleId":"69f4751d18cdd20c8f24bbbc"}},
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