The Renters' Rights Act: what Tunbridge Wells landlords need to do now

Section 21 is gone. From 1 May 2026 the rules changed for every landlord in England — new and existing tenancies, large portfolios and accidental landlords alike. This is the five-minute version of what you need to do now, written for Tunbridge Wells.

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent in October 2025 and the headline reforms came into force on 1 May 2026. Other provisions — the Private Rented Sector Database, the PRS Ombudsman, the full extension of Awaab's Law — phase in across 2026 and 2027. It is the biggest reform of the private rented sector since 1988.

Our dedicated Renters' Rights Act landlord guide sets out the full commencement timeline, the new Section 8 grounds, the database, the ombudsman scheme and the rent-increase mechanics. This article is the short, practical version: the five things every Tunbridge Wells landlord needs to do, and the questions we are getting in the office every week.

What actually changed on 1 May 2026

Five reforms commenced on the same day. They affect every assured tenancy in England — there is no grandfather clause for existing tenancies.

1. 01Section 21 abolished. No-fault evictions are gone. Possession requires a valid Section 8 ground with the correct notice and procedure. New mandatory grounds for sale (Ground 1A) and landlord/family occupation (Ground 1) preserve most of the practical outcomes; the route is different and the paperwork has to be exact.
2. 02Single periodic tenancies. All assured tenancies — new and existing — convert to a periodic regime with no fixed term. Tenants give two months' notice at any time; landlords use Section 8 grounds. Fixed-term clauses in existing agreements no longer operate.
3. 03Discrimination ban. Unlawful to refuse — or advertise to refuse — families with children or benefit recipients. "No DSS", "professionals only" and "no children" are out.
4. 04Bidding war ban. The advertised rent is now the maximum. Offers above the advertised rent cannot be invited or accepted. The whole "open to offers" pattern is illegal.
5. 05Pet rights. Tenants can request a pet; landlords cannot unreasonably refuse. Pet damage insurance can be required as a condition of consent.

Possession in the new regime

The Section 8 grounds have been expanded materially. For most professional setups, getting a property back is not harder — it just goes through a different procedure. The key new grounds:

• Ground 1 (occupation). The landlord or close family member wishes to move in. Mandatory ground. Cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy. Four months' notice.
• Ground 1A (sale). Landlord intends to sell. Mandatory ground. Cannot be used in the first 12 months. Four months' notice. If the property doesn't actually sell, the landlord cannot re-let for 12 months.
• Ground 8 (serious rent arrears). Now triggers at three months' arrears (up from two). Mandatory ground if the arrears are still at three months at the date of the hearing.
• Ground 14 (anti-social behaviour). Expanded and accelerated. Discretionary but procedurally easier.

For landlords who relied on Section 21 to manage difficult tenancies informally — issue a notice, sort the problem out, move on — the new regime requires more discipline. The cases that used to be solved with a quiet conversation now need a documented breach, the right notice form, the right service method, the right evidence pack. The cost of getting this wrong has risen significantly.

Rent reviews need real evidence now

One rent increase per twelve months. Section 13 notice, two months' written notice, new rent in line with local market rent. The tenant can refer the increase to the First-tier Tribunal, which cannot award higher than the landlord proposed. In Goodlord's 2025 tenant survey, 76% of tenants said they would challenge an "unfair" rent increase; 23% said they would challenge any increase. That changes the maths.

For Tunbridge Wells specifically, defensible benchmarking matters. TN1 and TN4 rental values vary materially street to street; TN2 between Hawkenbury and Pembury is two different markets; the villages around Tunbridge Wells have thinner comparables that need careful triangulation. Our rent reviews use live data from the Kings Estates lettings portfolio and 386 pre-registered tenants — the evidence pack is built into the review, not bolted on afterwards if a tribunal looms.

The PRS Database — register early

The Private Rented Sector Database commences later in 2026. From commencement, you cannot legally advertise a property to let or pursue most possession routes until registered, and until you are a member of the new PRS Ombudsman scheme. Civil penalties run from £7,000 for a first breach to £40,000 for repeated breaches. Providing false information to the Database is a criminal offence.

Three practical points:

• Register every property you currently let — including HMOs and short-let conversions that have moved to assured tenancies.
• Keep records current. EPC expiry, EICR renewal, Gas Safety, deposit registration — the Database expects fresh data, not the figures from 2022.
• If you let through an agent, confirm in writing who is responsible for keeping the Database entry current. Ours is the agency.

Awaab's Law in the PRS

Statutory timeframes for landlords to act on prescribed hazards. From 2025 — damp and mould (24 hours for emergencies, 10 days for significant hazards). From 2026 — cold, heat, hygiene, structural risks. From 2027 — full HHSRS Category 1 and 2 hazards. The clock starts when the landlord is notified, not when the works are scheduled.

Two operational shifts every landlord needs to make:

1. 01Have a documented response protocol. Tenants report; the agent or property manager investigates within the statutory window; the response is recorded; the works are evidenced. Our full management service runs this end-to-end — see fully managed lettings for the workflow.
2. 02Pre-empt damp and mould. Most Tunbridge Wells stock is Victorian or Edwardian — solid-wall construction, modest extraction, frequent condensation. A damp-and-mould audit at the start of every tenancy is cheaper than a statutory timeframe breach.

The five things to do this week

1. 01Pull out your current tenancy agreement and confirm with your agent in writing that it has been brought into the new regime.
2. 02Confirm your Gas Safety, EICR and EPC are all in date and lodged correctly.
3. 03Diary the next rent review with the evidence pack already gathered — not in a panic the week before the notice goes out.
4. 04Make sure your agent is ARLA Propertymark accredited and a member of an approved Client Money Protection scheme. After May 2026 this is the floor, not the ceiling.
5. 05Book a compliance review if you have not had one in the last twelve months.

Kings Estates is owner-led, ARLA Propertymark accredited, and runs a full management service across Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding TN postcodes. If you are letting privately or with another agent and you would like a private compliance review, book a confidential consultation with Mike — the review is free, no obligation, and includes a written summary of where you stand.

If you are already managing with another agent and want to switch without disrupting the tenancy, our switch-letting-agent service handles the handover end-to-end — usually inside 14 days.