The Small Landlord's Rules Map 2026–2028
Every change, one map · Lordease · 4 November 2026
Between May 2026 and 2030, the rules for renting out a home in England change in almost every area. Most of it is manageable if you know what is coming and when. This map puts every change on one page, with what each means for a landlord with 5 to 10 homes and what to do about it.
Three things matter most right now: the Renters' Rights Act is already in force, the landlord database opens region by region from 15 December 2026, and Making Tax Digital reaches landlords with more than £30,000 of rent in April 2027.
The map
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6 Apr 2026 | Making Tax Digital for income over £50,000 |
| 1 May 2026 | Renters' Rights Act in force |
| 31 May 2026 | Information sheet deadline for existing tenancies |
| 15 Dec 2026 | Landlord database opens (West Midlands first) |
| 6 Apr 2027 | Making Tax Digital for income over £30,000 |
| 15 Jul 2027 | Landlord database: London starts |
| 14 Nov 2027 | Landlord database: last region's deadline |
| 2028 (date tbc) | Landlord Ombudsman membership required |
| 6 Apr 2028 | Making Tax Digital for income over £20,000 |
| 1 Oct 2030 | EPC C for every let home |
The Renters' Rights Act and the first Making Tax Digital wave are already here. The database rolls across England through 2027, Making Tax Digital reaches smaller landlords in 2027 and 2028, and the energy target follows in 2030. Dates after 2027 depend on Parliament and may move.
Renters' Rights Act: what changed on 1 May 2026
| What changed | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Section 21 "no-fault" notices abolished | To end a tenancy you need a Section 8 ground and evidence |
| All tenancies are rolling (periodic) | No fixed terms; tenants give 2 months' notice to leave |
| New and changed possession grounds | Selling or moving family in needs 4 months' notice; rent arrears Ground 8 needs 3 months owed and 4 weeks' notice |
| Rent rises once a year only | Use the prescribed notice, with 2 months' warning; tenants can challenge at tribunal |
| No bidding wars, no more than 1 month's rent in advance | Advertise one rent and stick to it |
| No blanket bans on children or benefits | Assess each applicant on affordability |
| Pet requests | Reply within 28 days; you cannot unreasonably refuse |
| Written terms | New tenancies need a written statement of terms; existing ones needed the government information sheet by 31 May 2026 |
| Tougher penalties | Councils can fine up to £40,000 for some offences, and rent repayment orders are wider |
Do this now: check every tenancy got its written terms or information sheet, update your notice templates, and keep a dated record of every rent change and pet request.
The landlord database and the ombudsman
Register your rental property is the new national database. It costs £65 per property per year, so 8 homes is £520 a year. You must register yourself (an agent cannot do it for you), and each joint owner needs their own landlord entry.
| Region | Requirement starts | Register by |
|---|---|---|
| West Midlands | 15 Dec 2026 | 14 Mar 2027 |
| East of England | 15 Jan 2027 | 14 Apr 2027 |
| East Midlands | 15 Feb 2027 | 14 May 2027 |
| South East | 15 Mar 2027 | 14 Jun 2027 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 15 Apr 2027 | 14 Jul 2027 |
| North West | 15 May 2027 | 14 Aug 2027 |
| North East | 15 Jun 2027 | 14 Sep 2027 |
| London | 15 Jul 2027 | 14 Oct 2027 |
| South West | 15 Aug 2027 | 14 Nov 2027 |
What it asks for: your details; each property's address, type and bedrooms; rent and how often it is paid; number of occupiers; HMO and licence status; your latest gas safety record, electrical report and energy certificate.
The 28-day rule: update the record within 28 days of any change, such as a renewed certificate, a rent change or a new occupier.
Why it matters: fines of up to £7,000 for failing to keep it up to date, and the court cannot make a possession order (except for antisocial behaviour) without active entries.
The Landlord Ombudsman is being set up alongside the database. Membership becomes mandatory for landlords in 2028, giving tenants a free route to complain without going to court.
Do this now: put your region's date in the diary and gather each home's certificates in one place.
Standards: the condition of the home
| Rule | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gas safety check | Every 12 months, now | Gas Safe engineer; copy to tenant |
| Electrical report (EICR) | Every 5 years, now | Copy to tenant; fix any urgent faults within 28 days |
| Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms | Now | Working on every storey; CO alarm with fixed combustion appliances |
| Fines for serious (Category 1) hazards | From 2026 | Councils can fine for serious hazards such as damp, mould or cold |
| Energy certificate EPC C | By 1 October 2030 (confirmed under the Warm Homes Plan) | Every let home must reach C or register an exemption; spending cap of £10,000 per home |
| Decent Homes Standard for private rented homes | Proposed for 2035 or 2037 | A set standard for condition, facilities and warmth |
| Awaab's Law for private rented homes | Date to be confirmed after consultation | Fixed time limits to investigate and fix damp, mould and other hazards |
Do this now: look up the energy rating of every home. Anything rated D or below needs a plan and a budget before 2030, and works done since October 2025 count towards the cap. Start logging every damp or mould report with dated photos and your response time now; that habit is what Awaab's Law will ask for.
Tax: Making Tax Digital
Making Tax Digital means keeping digital records and sending a short summary to HMRC every quarter. The test is gross rent plus any self-employed income, before costs. Joint owners count only their share.
| Start | Gross income over | Based on tax year |
|---|---|---|
| 6 April 2026 | £50,000 | 2024 to 2025 |
| 6 April 2027 | £30,000 | 2025 to 2026 |
| 6 April 2028 | £20,000 | 2026 to 2027 |
Quarterly updates are due on 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May, with the final declaration by 31 January. No penalty points for late updates in your first year.
Do this now: add up last year's gross rent. With 5 or more homes you are likely already in, or in from April 2027. Our Making Tax Digital for Portfolio Landlords guide covers it in full.
Your this-month checklist
- Every tenancy has its written terms or the government information sheet, with the date sent
- Notice and rent-increase templates updated to the current forms
- Gas, electrical and energy certificates in date for every home, copies given to tenants
- Deposits protected and prescribed information given
- Your region's database date in the diary; certificates gathered in one place
- Energy rating of each home checked; plan for anything below C
- Gross rent added up; Making Tax Digital start date known
- Damp, mould and repair reports logged with dates and photos
Try Lordease free
Every new rule built into your legal checklist, reminders before anything runs out, and rent, bills and documents organised for every home. Free for the first 100 landlords during the beta. Set up in about 10 minutes.
Start freeHow Lordease helps
Lordease keeps this map for you. Each home has a legal checklist that follows the rules for its country, with "What changed in 2026" built in, reminders before every certificate runs out, and stickers that show at a glance what needs you. Your costs are already sorted into HMRC categories, and an income and expense ledger ready for Making Tax Digital is coming soon.
The first 100 landlords use Lordease free during the beta. Set up takes about 10 minutes.
lordease.com · [email protected]
General information, not legal or tax advice. Later dates depend on Parliament and consultation and may move. Check GOV.UK before acting. Dates checked on 4 November 2026; this map covers England.
Sources
- Implementing the Renters' Rights Act 2025: roadmap (GOV.UK)
- Register your rental property service (NRLA)
- EPC C: government cuts landlord spending cap (NRLA)
- Find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- Deadline approaches for first Making Tax Digital quarterly update (HMRC)
- Section 8 notice: how much notice (Shelter England)