1. Existing landlord repair obligations still apply
Even after the RRA starts, landlords must still meet the usual repair duties under existing housing law, notably:
- The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires landlords to keep the structure and exterior in good repair and to maintain installations (water, heating, sanitation, etc.).
- The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 means the home must be kept fit for people to live in throughout the tenancy.
These obligations already give tenants a right to request repairs where a property is defective or unsafe. The RRA does not remove these duties on 1 May 2026.
2. RRA primarily strengthens tenancy rights, not instant repair rights
The first phase of the Act, effective from 1 May 2026, focuses on tenancy structure and tenant protections such as:
- Abolishing ‘no-fault’ evictions (Section 21).
- Creating periodic tenancies by default.
- New rules on rent increases, banning rent-bidding and discrimination, and giving tenants’ rights (e.g., to keep pets).
These are important for tenant security, but they do not immediately create additional statutory rights for repairs or improvements beyond the existing duties.
3. Future phases will impact repair standards and improvement expectations
The RRA’s later phases will introduce stronger quality standards for rented homes, but these are not yet in force on 1 May 2026:
Awaab’s Law expansion
- Currently applies in social housing requiring landlords to address serious hazards (like damp and mould) within set timeframes.
- The RRA will extend this into the private rented sector in a later phase.
Decent Homes Standard
- A new statutory minimum quality standard ensuring homes are in a reasonable state of repair and offer adequate facilities will apply to private rentals eventually, but this is not yet operative as of May 2026.
Landlord Ombudsman & Enforcement
- A mandatory ombudsman service will allow tenants to escalate complaints and could direct landlords to take remedial actions, but this, plus a Private Rented Sector database, comes in later phases.
4. What tenants can do after 1 May 2026
- Continue to ask for repairs or improvements under existing law, especially for disrepair or unfit conditions.
- Use security from abolition of no-fault evictions to raise issues without fear of being evicted simply for reporting problems.
- Prepare to use the future Ombudsman service and upgraded standards once they are phased in, increasing tenants’ leverage.
Summary for a landlord
- No significant new repair rights take effect on 1 May 2026 beyond ordinary repair duties that already exist.
- The RRA does strengthen tenant security and will eventually introduce formal timeframes and standards, but these come in later phases rather than on day one.
- Future mechanisms (Ombudsman, database, enforcement powers) will give tenants more structured ways to pursue issues including repairs and improvements.
