Landlord Focus – April 2026

This is the Private Sector Housing Team’s e-newsletter for providing news and relevant information for landlords, letting and managing agents in Reading.  We hope you will find the articles in this issue useful and informative. 

By including these summaries, we aim to keep you informed to avoid unintentional offences that could result in enforcement action.  We also want to assure those landlords who offer good accommodation and good standards of management that we continue to actively enforce against those landlords operating illegally and without due regard to the law. 

Changes to HMO licensing

From 1 March 2026 an additional licensing scheme came into force across the whole borough.  This will require the landlords of 3-4 person houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) that are not already subject to mandatory licensing to apply for a licence.

Applications will be processed with the assistance of a delivery partner.  Applications for this scheme are not possible using our existing web platform, there is a separate website for 3-4 person HMOs and for 5+ person HMOs.

Further details on the extension of property licensing scheme.

Future plans for selective licensing

The council also proposes to introduce a series of selective licensing schemes, initially covering Battle ward but extending in time to Redlands and Park wards in phases over the next few years. 

Renting is changing

 Reforms to the private rented sector in England are bringing in new rights and responsibilities for landlords, letting agents and tenants.

 Read the full landlord guidance on our private landlords page.

The key changes

The following changes will happen on 1 May 2026. If a letting agent acts on your behalf, then they will need to follow these rules too.

 New rules on starting and ending tenancies

 Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished:

No new AST can be issued

Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) will no longer be created and existing ASTS will also become Assured Periodic Tenancies

Ban on rental bidding and rent in advance

Landlords and agents cannot ask for, encourage, or accept an offer higher that the advertised rent and will not be able to request more than one months rent in advance.

Changes to rent and payments

 Rent increases limited to once per year and a new legal process for increasing the rent

New requirements for tenancies

You’ll need to make sure that you give your tenant written information about the terms of their tenancy:

For existing tenants you’ll need to send your tenants a copy of the government-produced Information Sheet, by 31 May 2026 and if there is no existing written agreement you will need to issue a written record of specific terms of the agreement.

Discrimination against renters who have children or receive benefits will be illegal

You won’t be able to do anything to make a tenant less likely to rent a property (or prevent them from renting it) because they have children or receive benefits

You must consider tenant requests to rent with a pet

You’ll have to consider and respond to your tenant’s request within a set timeframe and will have to provide valid reasons if you choose to refuse it.

Other elements of the Renters’ Rights Act will take effect in later phases. In the future, a database, an ombudsman, Awaab’s Law, and the Decent Homes Standard will all be implemented in the private rented sector. 

How to prepare

As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to read the guidance in full. You must make the necessary changes to your letting practices to ensure you’re compliant with the new law when it’s implemented on 1 May 2026