When Will The Renters’ Rights Bill Come Into Full Effect?

One of the biggest changes that letting agents and landlords have seen in the rental market could be passed into law by the end of March 2025.

The Renters’ Rights Bill, a wide-reaching reform of the entire rental sector, was first introduced into the House of Commons in September 2024, and as of March 2025 is subject to scrutiny, amendments and debate within the House Of Lords.

Once this stage is completed, the bill will return to the House of Commons for the amendments suggested by the Lords to be considered before the law is passed and is given to the King to formally make it an Act of Parliament, a process known as royal assent.

One big question that many landlords have been concerned about is when provisions of the law will come into effect, and how will it affect existing tenancy agreements.

With organisations such as the CLA suggesting that it could reach royal assent as early as May or June, it is possible that certain parts of the bill could enter law from midnight of the same day.

By default, an Act of Parliament which has received royal assent comes into force then, but that is not always how the legislation is written and it is possible for there to be a delay between a law being passed and a law taking effect.

Several amendments in the Lords have requested a commencement order, which would only allow sections of the Bill such as the ban on Section 21 evictions to take effect following a review of its effect on the county court system.

Assuming the Renters’ Rights Bill passes as originally written, it will take effect at midnight of the day when King Charles III signs it into law via royal assent, although there are several stages of the process as of yet which could fundamentally change how the Bill will affect landlords.