Since 1 May 2026, every assured shorthold tenancy in England has become a periodic tenancy, Section 21 has gone, and a tenant can leave on two months' notice. For landlords, the Renters' Rights Act changes one thing above all when it comes to refurbishment: you no longer choose when a unit goes empty. At Bristol's average rent of £1,880 a month, every empty week costs about £434. Below: how to plan works around that, what can be done with tenants in, and every confirmed compliance date between now and 2035.
Renters' Rights Act for landlords: what changed on 1 May 2026
| Before 1 May 2026 | Since 1 May 2026 | What it means for works | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenancy | Fixed-term ASTs | Assured periodic, no end date | No term end to plan a refurb around |
| Ending it | Section 21 or Section 8 | Section 8 grounds only | You cannot end a tenancy just to refurbish |
| Tenant leaving | Usually at term end | Two months' notice, any time | Voids arrive on the tenant's timetable |
| Rent increases | By agreement or review clause | Once a year, Section 13, two months' notice | A refurbished unit reprices at the next increase or re-let |
| Rent in advance | No cap | One month maximum | Less cash up front at re-let |
| Pets | Could refuse outright | Tenant can ask; refusal needs a good reason | Specify hard-wearing floors and finishes |
The government's guide to the Renters' Rights Act confirms rent increases now go through a Section 13 notice once a year, at market rate, with at least two months' notice, and that tenants can challenge them at tribunal.
Why voids are harder to plan, and the cost of getting it wrong
The ONS puts Bristol's average private rent at £1,880 a month in July 2026, up 6.5% on the year. That gives a simple void cost:
| Void length | Rent lost at £1,880 a month |
|---|---|
| One week | about £434 |
| Two weeks | about £868 |
| Four weeks | about £1,735 |
| Eight weeks | about £3,471 |
The two months' notice a tenant gives is now your preparation window. Use it, or the void starts with a survey, a quote and a wait for the kitchen, and you lose rent for every week of it. The fix is to have the scope surveyed and priced before anyone gives notice, so long-lead items are ordered the day the notice lands. Our guide to refurb-to-let between tenancies sets out what a crew can finish in two, four and eight weeks.
What about ending a tenancy to do the work? Ground 6 still exists. The government's grounds for possession guidance says it applies where you need to redevelop or demolish the property and the tenant cannot live there while that happens; it usually cannot be used in the first six months of a tenancy, and it needs four months' notice. The conditions are specific. Take legal advice before relying on it, and do not plan a routine refurbishment around it.
Works with tenants in: what is realistic, what is not
Some work is perfectly manageable in an occupied unit, with the tenant's agreement and proper notice. Some is not.
| Realistic with a tenant in | Better left for a void |
|---|---|
| Electrical remedials and alarm upgrades | Kitchen replacement |
| Boiler swap and heating controls | Bathroom replacement |
| Loft insulation top-up | Full or partial rewire |
| Extract fans, gutters and other damp causes | Internal wall insulation |
| Single-room decoration | Layout changes and new openings |
On an occupied unit we would survey with the tenant's agreement, book the work in short visits within our 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday site hours, and clean down before leaving. The damp-related items in the left column matter more than they used to: the new Decent Homes Standard includes a criterion that a home should be free of damp and mould, and Awaab's Law is being extended to private rentals.
The compliance pipeline, date by date
| Date | What happens | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May 2026 | Phase 1 tenancy reforms in force | In force |
| 15 Dec 2026 | "Register your rental property" service opens; you can register any property from this date, £65 per property per year | Confirmed |
| 15 Aug 2027 | Registration rules commence for South West properties, including Bristol | Confirmed |
| 14 Nov 2027 | Deadline to register South West properties | Confirmed |
| 2028 | Mandatory sign-up to the PRS Landlord Ombudsman | Roadmap date |
| 1 Oct 2029 | An EPC C under the current method, issued before this date, counts until it expires | Confirmed policy |
| 1 Oct 2030 | EPC C or equivalent for private rentals, £10,000 cost cap per property | Confirmed policy, not yet law |
| 2035 | New Decent Homes Standard applies to private rented homes | Confirmed policy |
| Not set | Awaab's Law for private rentals | Subject to consultation |
Sources: the government's implementation roadmap, the Housing Hub registration timetable and the January 2026 Decent Homes Standard policy statement, which also sets out the EPC C requirement. Our piece on the delayed new EPC explains why the 2029 date matters most.
A phasing plan for a small portfolio
For a portfolio of three to ten Bristol units, this is the order we would work in:
- Survey every unit this winter. Occupied or not. Record the current EPC, electrical and gas certificates, and the condition of kitchens, bathrooms and heating.
- Sort the works into three lists. In-situ works, void-only works, and EPC fabric works. Our EPC readiness checklist helps with the third.
- Do the in-situ list first. Alarms, electrical remedials, loft insulation and damp causes, in short visits through the winter.
- Price the void list now. A detailed, itemised quote per unit, held on file, so a tenant's notice triggers an order, not a conversation.
- Fold EPC works into each void. Fabric first, then heating. Our EPC upgrade cost guide for Victorian rentals shows the costs.
- Register by 14 November 2027. With certificates already in order.
We can run this as a programme for landlords and developers, with one specification across the portfolio and invoicing against valuations of work carried out. We are SafeContractor approved (certificate OC4217) and TrustMark registered (licence 4264445). See our developer and landlord services, renovation work and energy retrofit service.
Frequently asked questions
Can I end a tenancy to refurbish under the Renters' Rights Act?
Not with Section 21, which has been abolished. Ground 6 covers redevelopment or demolition where the tenant cannot live in the property during the works, usually not in the first six months, with four months' notice. The conditions are specific, so take legal advice before relying on it.
How much notice does a tenant give to leave?
Two months, at any time, now that tenancies are periodic. That two months is your window to order materials and book the works, so have the scope surveyed and priced in advance.
When do Bristol landlords need to register their properties?
The rules for South West properties, including Bristol, commence on 15 August 2027, and the deadline to register is 14 November 2027. The service opens on 15 December 2026 and you can register from then. The fee is £65 per property per year.
When does the Decent Homes Standard apply to private rentals?
From 2035, under the government's January 2026 policy statement. It includes a criterion that homes should be free of damp and mould, so damp work done now counts twice.
What work can be done with a tenant in place?
Electrical remedials, alarms, boiler and heating controls, loft insulation, extract fans and single-room decoration are realistic with the tenant's agreement and proper notice. Kitchens, bathrooms, rewires and internal wall insulation are best left for a void.
Send us the spec or the property list. We'll price it unit by unit. Start with the addresses here.
