The Renters' Rights Act: how to make it work for everyone

A guest blog by Dr Jennifer Harris, Head of Policy, Research and Social Impact, TDS Charitable Foundation  

The Renters' Rights Act marks a historic moment for England's private rented sector (PRS). Designed to make tenancies more secure and reduce the financial barriers that prevent people from accessing a home, it has real potential to benefit some of the most excluded people in our housing system, including those who have experienced homelessness.

That's exactly why the TDS Charitable Foundation and Crisis have embarked on a three-year partnership: to make the private rented sector more accessible to people who have experienced homelessness and to support them to sustain those tenancies. We believe the Act creates the conditions for a fairer private rented sector – but realising that potential depends on getting four things right.

1. Building landlord confidence when letting to people who have experienced homelessness

The end of Section 21 and longer notice periods may make some landlords more cautious about who they let to – and it's often lower-income tenants and those with experience of homelessness who bear the cost of that caution. 

TDS Charitable Foundation’s research suggests the reality for many landlords is more positive than the perception. Some 91% of landlords who let to local authorities – including homeless households and people receiving benefits – report satisfaction in their role, compared with 63% of landlords overall. Tenants receiving benefits are also 10% more likely to remain in their homes for three or more years, offering landlords stable, long-term occupancy. A quarter of landlords cited delivering a social good as a driver of their satisfaction – a reminder that landlords are often motivated by more than just financial return. 

At the heart of our partnership is the work of Crisis's Housing Access Specialists – local experts who build trusted relationships with private landlords, dispel misconceptions about renting to people with experience of homelessness, and provide practical support on legislation and the benefits system. Since the partnership launched in July 2024, this work has helped 454 people to secure or sustain housing in the private rented sector. Building that evidence base is central to what the partnership is doing: making the case, grounded in real outcomes, that landlords can let confidently to people who have experienced homelessness, even in a changing regulatory environment.

2. Helping landlords manage risk without shutting people out

From 1 May 2026, the Act introduces a cap on upfront rent – a change many tenants will welcome, given that 17% of tenants nationally identify it as a barrier to accessing a home, according to the TDS Charitable Foundation’s national Voice of the Tenant survey. But if guarantors simply become the default replacement, the barrier doesn't disappear – it shifts. People on lower incomes or with experience of homelessness are often unable to provide a guarantor, and our research shows guarantor requirements create real access barriers for around one in ten tenants. 

In our Voice of the Landlord survey, when asked what would encourage them to let to people moving out of homelessness, more than a third of landlords said a rent guarantee scheme would be their preferred incentive. Yet a common misconception is that few insurance products exist for tenants on low incomes. To address this directly, the TDS Charitable Foundation established an Innovation Fund as part of the partnership to unlock financial products in this space – rent guarantee insurance premiums are now being offered to landlords through the Crisis service, funded by the Foundation. Tracking default rates will help build the evidence base, boost landlord confidence, and identify where further support is needed. 

The message to landlords is clear: you don't have to choose between managing risk and being accessible. 

3. Protecting the supply of affordable PRS housing

While there is no evidence of a mass landlord exodus, cumulative tax and regulatory changes and frozen Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are influencing decisions – particularly among those operating at the affordable end of the market. The figures are striking: in 2024, 20% of landlords letting to housing benefit tenants had sold at least one property. By 2025, that figure had risen to 37% – meaning an additional 17% left a market that already offers very limited affordable options. This is the segment the sector most needs to retain.  

TDS Charitable Foundation and Crisis are sharing these findings directly with the Government as part of our joint policy work, ensuring Ministers have the evidence they need to understand what is driving landlord exits from the affordable end of the market.  In our Voice of the Landlord survey, a quarter of landlords said they felt unable to rent to people receiving benefits and half of landlords cited the growing gap between LHA rates and market rents as a reason why. Restoring LHA rates to a level that reflects actual rents is therefore vital to protect the supply of affordable PRS housing.   

Clear communication to landlords about their Renters’ Rights Act obligations and ongoing monitoring of supply will both be essential to prevent the Act from accelerating the very exits it needs to prevent.

4. Empowering tenants to use their new rights

Seven in ten renters haven't heard of the Act or don't understand what it means for them, according to TDS Charitable Foundation research. Rights that aren't known can't be exercised. In our research on barriers to dispute resolution, many tenants said they felt they had no choice but to accept poor conditions or move out – not because they lacked rights, but because they didn't know where to go for help to make an informed decision.  

That's why TDS Charitable Foundation and Crisis have jointly developed a Renters' Rights Act guidance pack and video explainers, available from 1 May 2026. These are practical tools that help tenants understand their rights at every stage of the tenancy. For people who have experienced homelessness, feeling informed and supported in a tenancy matters – it builds the confidence to raise concerns early, before small problems become bigger ones. Tenant awareness isn't a nice-to-have – it's essential for the Act to achieve its aim of an improved PRS. 

The conditions for success are within reach 

The Renters' Rights Act is a genuine milestone. But legislation alone doesn't change lives – implementation does. Landlords supported to manage risk fairly, affordable supply protected, tenants equipped to understand and use their rights: these are achievable goals. TDS Charitable Foundation and Crisis are working on all of them, and will keep tracking what the evidence shows as the Act takes effect. 

Notes to editors about the TDS Charitable Foundation 

The TDS Charitable Foundation works to raise standards in the private rented sector by focusing on the following objectives: 

• Supporting charities and organisations that improve access to private rented housing for those in need 

• Promoting, undertaking and supporting research into the causes of hardship and disadvantage in the private rented sector 

• Advancing education about housing rights and obligations relevant to landlords, letting agents and tenants 

• Promoting the use of alternative dispute resolution to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants efficiently and effectively 

We are funded mainly through donations from The Dispute Service (TDS), the leading Tenancy Deposit Scheme, which operates on a non-profit basis across the UK.