UK Landlord Compliance Brief — April 2026
Your monthly summary of new rules, deadlines and risks for private landlords in England, Scotland and Wales.
This is the April 2026 edition of Landlord Brief, our monthly plain-English digest of UK private-rental compliance — what changed, what you have to do, and what you can safely ignore. Housing law is devolved, so each item below notes which UK nation it applies to.
This month’s risk level: High — Renters’ Rights Act enforcement begins, and EPC C consultation outcomes are imminent. Several deadlines fall within the next 30 days.
Critical actions this month
Switch all new tenancies to periodic terms
- Applies to: England — all assured tenancies
- Deadline: Before next renewal
- What to do: Stop issuing fixed-term ASTs. Use the new periodic tenancy template and update your AST library.
- Risk if ignored: Issuing a fixed term after the commencement date is void; rent recovery via Section 8 will be blocked.
Re-check gas safety certificate renewal dates
- Applies to: All landlords with gas appliances
- Deadline: Within 30 days
- What to do: Audit your portfolio’s CP12 renewal dates and book any due in the next 60 days now — engineer availability is tight.
- Risk if ignored: Letting without a valid CP12 is a criminal offence; fines up to £6,000 per property.
New and changed rules
Renters’ Rights Act — Section 21 abolition
Status: In force
Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions are abolished for all assured tenancies. New possession grounds under Section 8 apply.
Action: Train any letting agents on new Section 8 grounds and update internal eviction playbooks.
Decent Homes Standard — PRS extension
Status: Consultation closed
Government has confirmed the Decent Homes Standard will apply to the private rented sector from 2027.
Action: Begin damp/mould and Category 1 hazard surveys on older stock now.
Upcoming — next 90 days
- Property Portal registration opens — Next 60 days. Gather EPC, gas, electrical and deposit data per property — registration will require all four.
- EPC C minimum standard — final regs — Next 90 days. Commission EPC re-assessments on D-rated stock; budget for likely insulation/heating upgrades.
Other stuff worth knowing
- Bank of England base rate — Held at current level; BTL fixed rates softened 0.1–0.2% across most lenders this month.
- Selective licensing — New schemes confirmed in two more London boroughs and one Greater Manchester borough this month.
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Landlord Brief is the monthly UK landlord compliance digest. We cover the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 in England, Private Residential Tenancies in Scotland, Occupation Contracts in Wales, and the separate framework in Northern Ireland — plus UK-wide tax (MTD for Income Tax), EPC consultation outcomes, lender criteria changes, and Bank of England rate moves. Citations to gov.uk in every issue.
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Landlord Brief is general information, not legal advice. For decisions that affect a specific property or tenancy, talk to a solicitor or a member of the NRLA / Propertymark.
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