"My agreement says 12 months" — sorry, it doesn't any more
On 1 May 2026 the Renters' Rights Act abolished fixed-term assured tenancies in England — not just for new lets, but for every existing tenancy on that date. Whatever your agreement says, your tenancy is now a monthly periodic tenancy — it rolls on month to month with no end date. The paper didn't change; the law simply overrides it. The table below shows which of your clauses still work and which no longer do. Acting on a clause that no longer works is how landlords breach the new rules by accident.
What your old AST's clauses mean now
| Clause in your agreement | Status now |
|---|---|
| "Fixed term of 12 months" | Void. The tenancy is monthly periodic with no end date. |
| Rent review clause / annual % increase | Void. Only a Section 13 notice (Form 4A) can raise rent — full guide here. |
| References to Section 21 / "two months' notice to leave" | Void. Section 21 is abolished; possession requires Section 8 grounds. |
| "No pets" | Overridden. Tenants may request a pet; you must respond within 28 days and can't refuse without good reason — guide here. |
| Multiple months' rent in advance | Unenforceable going forward (max one month, post-signature). |
| Rent amount, payment date, deposit terms | Still valid. |
| Repairs, access, tenant obligations, nuisance clauses | Still valid (where they were lawful to begin with). |
Do you need to re-sign anything?
For tenancies that existed before 1 May 2026: no. The conversion happened automatically, and your obligation was to serve the official information sheet by 31 May 2026 (missed it? — fix it this week). Asking tenants to sign a brand-new agreement is unnecessary and often counterproductive. What matters is that you never act on the void clauses: no clause-based rent rises, no treating the tenancy as ending on a date, no blanket pet refusals.
What about tenants leaving?
Tenants can now end the tenancy at any time with two months' written notice ending at the end of a rent period — even if your paperwork says they're "locked in" until a date. Plan your cash flow on that basis. On your side, ending the tenancy requires a Section 8 ground. Selling is Ground 1A: four months' notice, and not usable in the first 12 months. Moving in yourself is Ground 1, with similar limits. Serious arrears now means a three-month threshold. The other statutory grounds each have their own notice period and restrictions.
Which of your clauses are void? Check free
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Take the free compliance check →More guides
Missed the 31 May deadline? · Written statement of terms · How to increase rent (Form 4A) · The 28-day pet rule · One sharer leaves: joint tenancies · Ground 1A and the 12-month re-letting ban · Section 8 rent arrears: Grounds 8, 10 and 11