Six Weeks After the Renters Rights Act: The Biggest Questions Hertfordshire Landlords Are Still Asking

It’s been six weeks. The dust should be settling by now except for most landlords across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, it really isn’t.

Since 1 May 2026, letting agents in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire have barely had a quiet morning. Landlords are ringing with a version of the same worried question: ‘Am I doing this right?’ Fair enough, honestly. The Renters’ Rights Act is the most significant overhaul of the private rented sector in over 30 years. Confusion isn’t a personal failing it’s practically compulsory at this point.

So, let us cut through it. Here are the questions we are actually being asked, and the straight answers you need.

I Missed the 31 May Information Sheet Deadline. How Much Trouble Am I In?

More than a few landlords missed it. Life happens. But ignoring it now would be the real mistake councils can issue fines of up to £7,000 for non-compliance, and local authorities have new investigatory powers to pursue exactly this sort of thing.

If you’re a self-managing landlord who didn’t get the official government Information Sheet to your tenants by 31 May, issue it now. Don’t paraphrase it, don’t email a link you must download the exact PDF from GOV.UK and hand it over directly or as a digital attachment. Late is infinitely better than never.

If a letting agent manages your property, this was their responsibility. Worth a conversation if it hasn’t been done.

How Do I Get My Property Back Now That Section 21 Is Gone?

This is the big one and the anxiety around it is not entirely unwarranted.

Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions are abolished. Full stop. Every eviction now goes through Section 8, which means you need a specific legal ground, the correct notice period, and if your tenant digs their heels in a court hearing.

The new Form 3A replaces the old notice forms. Grounds are split between mandatory (the court must grant possession if criteria are met) and discretionary (the judge decides what’s reasonable). Rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, and the landlord needing to sell or move in are all still valid grounds, but the paperwork burden is considerably heavier than it used to be.

One thing many landlords don’t realise: if you served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, you can still use it but only to apply to court before 31 July 2026. After that, it’s done.

I Want to Sell, Can I Still Get My Tenants Out?

Yes, but not quickly, and not without planning ahead.

The new Ground 1A allows possession where you genuinely intend to sell, but your tenant must have been in the property for at least 12 months before the notice takes effect. The notice period itself is four months meaning the earliest you can realistically achieve vacant possession on a newer tenancy is around month 12.

There’s also a sting in the tail: if you evict to sell and then change your mind and re-let, penalties apply. The property cannot be re-marketed for 12 months.

For many Hertfordshire landlords particularly those in St Albans, Harpenden, or Welwyn Garden City where property values remain strong selling with tenants in situ to another investor is quietly becoming the smarter exit route. You keep receiving rent until completion, avoid a void period, and sidestep the whole possession headache entirely.

Can I Still Raise the Rent?

Yes, once a year, no more. And not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy.

You must use Form 4A and give at least two months’ notice before the increase takes effect. Any rent review clauses in your existing tenancy agreement are now legally unenforceable, regardless of what they say. Tenants can challenge an increase at tribunal if they believe it exceeds market rate and crucially, you cannot evict them for doing so.

The practical advice here: price accurately from the outset. With only one increase per year permitted, setting the rent too low upfront is a harder position to recover from than it used to be.

My Old AST Is Now Worthless, What Do I Do?

Your fixed-term AST automatically converted into an assured periodic tenancy on 1 May. The fixed-term end date no longer exists. You don’t need to issue a new agreement to existing tenants, but you absolutely need a compliant new template for any tenancy started after 1 May.

New tenancies must include written information about key terms before the tenancy begins. You can no longer accept rent before the agreement is signed, and you cannot ask for more than one month’s rent in advance.

What’s Still Coming, And Why It Matters Now

The Act isn’t finished. The Private Rented Sector Database launches later in 2026, rolling out region by region. Registration won’t be optional fail to register, and you lose the legal ability to serve possession notices on most grounds. That includes Ground 1A for selling. A landlord ombudsman follows, expected to be mandatory by 2028.

The time to get your compliance paperwork in order is now, not when the database arrives in Hertfordshire.

If any of this has raised more questions than it’s answered that’s honestly fine, and entirely normal. We work with landlords across Hertfordshire every day navigating exactly this. Get in touch with our team and let’s make sure your portfolio is on solid ground.