If you’ve been managing your rental property yourself for a while, you’ve probably asked yourself more than once whether it’s actually worth using a letting agent. It’s a fair question. Until recently, a reasonable argument could be made either way.
But the landscape has shifted. The Renters’ Rights Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, and its headline changes came into force on 1 May 2026.
This isn’t a minor regulatory update, it’s the biggest overhaul of the private rented sector in a generation. And it’s changed the calculation for a lot of landlords.
Here’s what’s changed, what it means in practice, and how to think honestly about whether professional management makes sense for your situation.
What the Renters’ Rights Act actually changed
Let’s start with the key changes, because it’s hard to have a sensible conversation about management without understanding what you’re now dealing with.
Section 21 is gone. You can no longer evict a tenant without a specific, legally valid reason. If you want your property back, you need to rely on a Section 8 notice and one of the defined grounds for possession.
Fixed-term tenancies no longer exist. All assured shorthold tenancies automatically converted to assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026. Tenancies are now rolling, with no fixed end date.
Rent increases are now more tightly controlled. You can only increase rent once a year and must give at least two months’ written notice using the correct prescribed form. Tenants can challenge any increase they consider excessive at a First-tier Tribunal.
Arrears threshold for possession has changed. Under Ground 8, a tenant must owe the equivalent of 13 weeks’ rent at both the point you serve notice and at the date of the hearing. Previously it was two months.
New written information requirements. New tenants must receive a written statement of terms before the tenancy starts. Existing tenants needed to receive a prescribed information sheet by 31 May 2026.
Anti-discrimination rules are now enforceable. Blanket bans on tenants with children or those in receipt of benefits are now illegal. Encouraging rental bidding above the advertised price is also prohibited.
Pet requests must be handled properly. If a tenant asks to keep a pet, you must respond in writing within 28 days with a legitimate reason if you’re refusing. You can’t just say no.
Penalties have increased significantly. Local authorities can impose civil fines of up to £7,000 for breaches and up to £40,000 for more serious offences, including unlawful eviction or using a possession ground you know you can’t succeed on.
There’s more to come too. A PRS database requiring landlord registration, a Private Rented Sector Ombudsman, and eventually the Decent Homes Standard are all being phased in over the next few years.
What this means for self-managing landlords
None of this makes self-management impossible. But it does make it more technical, and the cost of getting things wrong has gone up considerably.
The areas where landlords are most likely to come unstuck are the possession process and documentation.
Serving the wrong notice, using the wrong form, or failing to meet a procedural requirement doesn’t just delay things, it can invalidate the whole process and force you to start again.
With no Section 21 as a fallback, every possession claim now needs to be right first time.
The rent review process has also become more procedurally rigid. You need the right form, the right notice period, and to be able to demonstrate you’re asking for a market rate if the tenant challenges it. It’s not complicated if you know what you’re doing, but it’s not something you can wing.
And landlords who were already stretched for time haven’t suddenly gained more of it. The Act adds a layer of ongoing compliance to something that was already a job in itself.
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The cost of not getting it right
One of the biggest risks under the Renters’ Rights Act is not deliberate non-compliance, but accidental mistakes.
Getting something wrong can lead to:
Fines or enforcement action
Delays in regaining possession
Extended rent arrears
Legal costs
Long void periods while issues are resolved
For many landlords, particularly those with one or two properties, these costs can quickly outweigh the fee of professional management.
Using a letting agent is not about avoiding responsibility. It’s about reducing risk and making sure things are done properly from the outset.
Where a letting agent actually earns their fee
A good agent doesn’t just collect rent and call contractors. Here’s where professional management genuinely adds value under the new regime:
Compliance from day one. Correct tenancy documentation, prescribed information, and legal notices drafted and served properly. No gaps that a tenant or tribunal can exploit later.
Possession handled correctly. Knowing which ground applies, the correct notice period, and how to avoid procedural errors that kill a claim. This matters a lot more without Section 21 in the toolkit.
Rent reviews done properly. Using the right process, at the right time, with proper documentation — so you don’t hand a tenant grounds to challenge.
Redress Scheme membership. Agents are already members. If you’re self-managing, you’ll need to join a scheme yourself — and be prepared to respond to complaints through it.
Keeping up with what’s still coming. The PRS database, the Ombudsman, Awaab’s Law extended to the private sector — these are all on their way. A reputable agent tracks the changes and adjusts their processes accordingly. You don’t have to.
Time. Perhaps the most undervalued benefit. Every hour you’re not dealing with a maintenance call, a rent arrears conversation, or a tribunal form is an hour you get back.
The honest case for staying self-managed
It’s only fair to make the other argument too, because for some landlords, self-management can still make sense.
If you have one or two properties, genuinely enjoy the management side, is prepared to put in the time (and deal with the stress), and you’re the kind of person who stays on top of regulatory changes, you can absolutely do this yourself.
If your tenants are long-term, you have a good relationship, and things have been stable for years, the Act doesn’t suddenly make your situation dangerous.
The question isn’t whether agents are better in some abstract sense. It’s whether the time you spend managing your property,and the risk you carry by doing it yourself, is worth more or less than the management fee.
So, is now the right time?
The Renters’ Rights Act hasn’t made self-managing impossible. But it has raised the floor for what doing it properly looks like. The compliance burden is real, the penalties for getting it wrong are higher, and the safety net of Section 21 no longer exists.
If you’ve been on the fence about professional management, this is a reasonable moment to revisit that decision. Not out of panic, but because the job has genuinely changed.
At Rent East Yorkshire, we work with local landlords in Beverley, Driffield, and throughout the county, to help them stay compliant, protect their income, and reduce stress in an increasingly complex market.
If you’d like to talk through what full management would look like for your property, no pressure, no obligation, get in touch. We’re happy to have that conversation.
Maddie Lancaster is an ARLA qualified letting agent with over 10 years of experience in the UK rental market. Rent East Yorkshire specialises in property management services for landlords across the East Riding of Yorkshire.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Specific legal advice should be sought for particular circumstances.
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