Three quarters of landlords have made no preparations for the abolition of Section 21, despite the first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force in May 2026, according to property expert Simon Cairnes at BuyAssociation.
Cairnes points to fresh survey data from Inventory Base, based on 497 UK landlords, which he says exposes widespread gaps in preparedness ahead of the most significant rental reforms in decades.
While awareness of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 is relatively high, confidence and action are lagging.
Only one in five landlords say they fully understand how the changes will affect their business, while nearly a quarter admit they are not confident at all. More than a quarter remain unclear about the legislation and its implications.
NO PLANS TO CHANGE
Despite 84% knowing that fixed-term tenancies will be replaced with open-ended periodic agreements, 69% have no plans to change their processes.
Preparation for the abolition of Section 21 is even weaker, with 75% saying they have done nothing at all. Just 12% feel ready to rely on the new possession grounds, while 43% say they are poorly prepared or not prepared at all.
Cairnes says: “A survey of 497 UK landlords by Inventory Base, a property inspection and inventory software provider, reveals widespread gaps in landlords’ preparedness ahead of the biggest overhaul of rental law in decades.
“While awareness of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 is relatively high, understanding remains patchy at best and many landlords have yet to adjust.
“Preparation for the abolition of Section 21 Notices has been minimal.
“The survey shows that 75% of landlords have nothing whatsoever to prepare for it, with only a small minority having reviewed the new rules in detail, updated documentation or sought legal guidance.”
REFORMS OVERLOOKED
He added that reforms covering rent in advance and pet requests are also being largely overlooked, with the majority of landlords making no operational changes.
With court delays, possession risks and income uncertainty high on landlords’ list of concerns, Cairnes warns that inaction now could translate into significant disruption once the reforms take effect.
Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, Operations Director at Inventory Base, says: “Most landlords know the Renters’ Rights Act is coming, but far fewer have grasped what it means in practice.
“This is not a cosmetic change; it rewrites how possession works, how rent is handled, how tenancies are structured, and what landlords will need to evidence if something goes wrong.
“The margin for error is shrinking fast, and those who wait until spring 2026 will find themselves dealing with delays, disputes, and income risk that could have been avoided with basic preparation now.”
