Rental Reform: Recalibrating the Landlord–Tenant Relationship in England

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 represents the most fundamental reform of private rental tenancy law in England since 1988. It recalibrates the landlord-tenant relationship in ways that strengthen tenant rights and, in doing so, creates a tenancy framework that is better suited to accommodate the growth and transformation of private renting since the turn of the century. This article explains the background to this important reform, why it became an electoral necessity, and why it was fiercely contested by stakeholders and backbench Conservative MPs representing the interests of private landlords. Finally, it highlights key features of the 2025 act that most affect landlords and tenants.