Assured Shorthold Tenancy Abolished: What Happens Next for Landlords

What Happened on 1 May 2026

On 1 May 2026, every assured shorthold tenancy in England — whether mid-fixed-term or already periodic — automatically converted into an open-ended assured periodic tenancy. This happened by operation of law under Part 1 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025. No paperwork was needed to trigger it. No consent from either party was required. It simply happened.

Section 21 no-fault evictions were abolished at the same time. Landlords can no longer serve a Section 21 notice to end a tenancy. Fixed end dates, automatic renewal dates, and landlord break clauses in existing contracts are legally void.

Do You Need a New Tenancy Agreement?

No. The existing contractual terms — repair obligations, utility arrangements, tenant covenants — remain active. The conversion did not wipe the contract. It overrode only the parts that conflict with the new statutory framework: fixed end dates, contractual rent review clauses, and notice requirements that do not match the reformed rules.

What you do need is a Written Statement of Terms if the tenancy was running without a written agreement. For oral or informal tenancies that existed before 1 May 2026, the Written Statement had to be provided to the tenant by 31 May 2026.

What Changed for Landlords

The periodic conversion changes four things in practice:

Ending a tenancy. You cannot simply wait for a fixed term to expire or serve a two-month no-fault notice. To regain possession, you must rely on specific grounds under Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988 — now amended by the Renters' Rights Act. Each ground has its own notice period (ranging from immediate to four months) and its own evidential requirements. Possession claims go through the County Court, and accelerated procedure without a hearing has been abolished.

Rent increases. Contractual rent review clauses are void. The only way to increase rent is through a Section 13 notice using the prescribed Form 4A, giving at least two months' notice. Rent can be increased a maximum of once every 12 months, and no increase can take effect within the first 12 months of a new tenancy.

Tenant notice. Tenants can end the tenancy at any time by giving at least two calendar months' written notice. If a single joint tenant serves notice, it ends the tenancy for all joint tenants unless a new agreement is made with the remaining occupiers.

Rent periods. If the existing agreement specified rent periods longer than one month (quarterly, for example), the tenancy period now defaults to monthly.

What About Tenancies That Started After 1 May 2026?

Any tenancy created on or after 1 May 2026 starts as an assured periodic tenancy from day one. Fixed-term ASTs cannot be created. The same rules apply: Section 13 for rent increases, Schedule 2 grounds for possession, two months' tenant notice.

Before the tenancy begins, the landlord must provide a Written Statement of Terms, the How to Rent guide, an EPC, an EICR, and a gas safety certificate. Advance rent is capped at one month.

What You Should Do Now

If your tenancy has already converted, the practical steps are:

1. Check that you served the Information Sheet on your existing tenant by 31 May 2026 — if not, serve it immediately to remove the notice restriction
2. Confirm your tenancy file includes proof of deposit protection and prescribed information
3. Calendar your next rent review date and make sure you are using the Section 13 / Form 4A process, not a contractual clause
4. Review which possession grounds are available to you and note the notice periods and protected windows for each

Our Renters' Rights Act guide for landlords in England sets out every duty, form, and deadline in chronological order, with a compliance checklist you can work through for each property.

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