New Renters’ Rights Act

Important information for homeowners and shared owners who sublet their home

If you’re a homeowner or shared owner and rent out your property — even temporarily — you are legally considered a landlord and must follow private rental legislation.

The Government has introduced new laws under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, which came into effect on 1 May 2026. These changes apply to anyone renting out a property.

It is important that you understand your legal responsibilities as a landlord and familiarise yourself with the changes to legislation.

You can read the full Government guidance for further information.

What changed from 1 May 2026?

The new legislation introduces several important changes for landlords:

Section 21 (‘no fault’) evictions have ended

You can no longer ask a tenant to leave without a valid legal reason.

Most tenancies are now rolling tenancies

Fixed-term tenancies will end, even if your current subletting agreement states otherwise.

New information requirements

Landlords should provide tenants with a copy of the official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 no later than 31 May 2026.

If you need your tenant to leave your property

From 1 May 2026, landlords must follow the new legal process when ending a tenancy.

For example, if you want to:

Move back into your home
Sell your property

You must use the correct legal process, such as a Section 8 notice.

You may be able to use Ground 1 or Ground 1A, however:

You must give your tenant(s) at least four months’ notice
If your tenant has lived in the property for less than 12 months, you cannot require them to leave until 12 months have passed

You can serve notice earlier, but the tenancy end date in the notice must fall after the tenant has occupied the property for 12 months.

Important information for Shared Owners

Action required before 31 May 2026 if you sublet your home

Most MSV shared ownership customers who have not staircased to 100% ownership are not permitted to sublet their home under the terms of their lease. Please check your lease agreement if you are unsure.

However, if you are currently subletting your shared ownership home, you must notify your tenant(s) by 31 May 2026.

Selling your home after eviction

Normally, if a landlord evicts a tenant using the ‘selling’ ground, there is a 12-month restriction on re-letting the property.

Shared owners may be exempt from this restriction — but only if the correct process is followed.

What you need to do to qualify for the exemption

1. Notify your tenant

You must tell your current or future tenant in writing that:

You are a shared owner
The usual 12-month re-letting restriction may not apply

If you already have tenants, this must be done by 31 May 2026.

You can use the approved template notice which you can find at the bottom of this page.

2. Notify MSV

Before your notice period ends, you must confirm in writing that you intend to sell your home.

Please contact us at:
Leasehold@msvhousing.co.uk

3. Show that you are actively selling your home

Before re-letting the property, you must either:

Obtain a RICS valuation, or
Put your property on the market through an estate agent

What you need to do now

We recommend that you:

Read the Government guidance carefully
Make sure you understand your responsibilities as a landlord
Notify any current tenants about the shared owner exemption before 31 May 2026
Inform any future tenants about the exemption before subletting your property
Contact MSV if you are unsure about your responsibilities - email us at Leasehold@msvhousing.co.uk or call 0161 226 4211

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes. If you are a homeowner or shared owner and rent out your home, you are legally considered a landlord and these rules apply to you.

No. From 1 May 2026, Section 21 (‘no fault’) evictions are no longer allowed. Landlords must provide a valid legal reason to end a tenancy.

A rolling tenancy has no fixed end date. It continues on a month-by-month basis until ended legally using the permitted grounds set out in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

If you plan to sell your home or move back in, you must give at least four months’ notice.

You cannot require a tenant to leave before they have lived in the property for 12 months.

This means that even if MSV previously gave permission to sublet for a shorter period, you must not ask your tenant to leave before the 12-month period has passed.

Yes. The new legislation applies to both new and existing tenancies, including agreements that began before 1 May 2026.

Yes. You must continue to follow the terms of your shared ownership lease.

Please contact MSV if you are unsure whether you have permission to sublet.

Please contact MSV before taking action, especially if: