Periodic Tenancies Under the Renters' Rights Act: A Landlord's Guide (2026)

21 July 2026 · AgentCheck Editorial · 8 min read

Part of our UK Landlord Legal Guide

A periodic tenancy rolls on from one rent period to the next with no fixed end date. Under the Renters' Rights Act, every assured tenancy in England becomes periodic by default — fixed terms are abolished. Tenants can leave with two months' notice, while landlords must rely on specified Section 8 grounds to regain possession.

The Renters' Rights Act represents the biggest shake-up of the private rented sector in a generation, and periodic tenancies sit right at the heart of it. If you have always let your properties on 12-month fixed terms, the new system asks you to think differently about how a tenancy begins, continues and ends. This guide explains what a periodic tenancy actually is, what the reforms change, and what you as a landlord should do to stay on the right side of the rules.

What is a periodic tenancy?

A periodic tenancy is one that runs from period to period — usually month to month — rather than for a fixed block of time such as six or twelve months. There is no agreed end date. The tenancy simply continues until either the tenant gives notice or the landlord obtains possession on a valid legal ground.

Periodic tenancies are not new. For years, when a fixed-term assured shorthold tenancy (AST) came to an end and nobody signed a renewal, it automatically rolled into a statutory periodic tenancy. What the Renters' Rights Act does is make that periodic structure the standard from day one, rather than something a tenancy falls into later.

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What the Renters' Rights Act changes

The reforms remove fixed terms from assured tenancies altogether. Instead of signing a tenant up for a set period, every new tenancy begins as a periodic assured tenancy with a rent period of no more than a month. Alongside this, the Bill abolishes Section 21 "no-fault" evictions, meaning a landlord can no longer end a tenancy simply because a fixed term has expired.

The headline effects for landlords are:

  • No more fixed terms — you cannot tie a tenant into a minimum 6 or 12-month commitment.
  • Section 21 is gone — possession must be sought using a valid Section 8 ground.
  • Tenants gain flexibility — they can leave at any point with two months' notice.
  • Rent rises are standardised — increases happen once a year through a set statutory process.

Periodic vs fixed-term tenancies: the key differences

The clearest way to understand the shift is to compare the old fixed-term model with the new periodic default.

Feature Fixed-term AST (old system) Periodic tenancy (Renters' Rights Act)
Length Set period, e.g. 6 or 12 months Rolls monthly with no end date
Tenant notice to leave Usually locked in until term ends Two months, any time
Landlord possession route Section 21 or Section 8 Section 8 grounds only
Rent increases Often set at renewal Once a year via Section 13 notice
Renewals New agreement signed each term None needed — tenancy continues
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Photo: Unsplash

How tenants end a periodic tenancy

Under the new rules a tenant can bring the tenancy to an end at any time by serving two months' written notice. There is no requirement to wait for a fixed term to expire, which is the change most landlords feel most keenly. In practice this means a tenant could, in theory, move in and give notice shortly afterwards, leaving the property after roughly two months.

This flexibility is designed to protect renters, but it also places a premium on getting tenant selection right. When a tenant can leave with relatively short notice, thorough referencing and a good landlord–tenant relationship become your best defence against void periods.

How landlords regain possession

With Section 21 abolished, every possession claim must rest on a specified Section 8 ground. The Bill expands and reshapes these grounds so that landlords still have legitimate routes to recover a property. Common grounds include:

  1. Selling the property — a ground allowing possession where the landlord intends to sell, usually available after the tenant has lived there for a minimum period.
  2. Moving in — where the landlord or a close family member wishes to occupy the home.
  3. Serious rent arrears — a mandatory ground where arrears reach the threshold set out in the legislation.
  4. Anti-social behaviour or breach of tenancy — discretionary grounds the court weighs on the facts.

Because these grounds require evidence and, in contested cases, a court hearing, landlords need to keep clear records of rent payments, communications and any breaches. A managed service or a competent letting agent can be invaluable here — across the 13,684 agents listed on AgentCheck, possession and arrears handling is one of the services landlords most often ask about.

Rent increases on a periodic tenancy

Under the reforms, rent can be increased only once every 12 months, and only through the statutory Section 13 procedure. You must serve the tenant formal notice of the proposed new rent, giving at least the required notice period before it takes effect. If the tenant believes the increase is above the market rate, they can refer it to the First-tier Tribunal, which can determine a fair rent.

Rent review clauses that automatically bump the rent mid-tenancy, or that try to raise it more than once a year, will no longer be enforceable. Setting the right rent from the outset therefore matters more than ever.

What happens to existing fixed-term tenancies?

When the reforms take effect, existing assured shorthold tenancies convert to the new periodic system. A tenant partway through a 12-month fixed term does not have to see it out — the fixed period falls away and the tenancy continues on a periodic basis, with the same core protections and notice rules as a brand-new tenancy.

This is why it is worth reviewing your current agreements now. Any clause that depends on a fixed term — early-termination fees, minimum-term penalties, or renewal charges — should be checked against the new framework, because much of it will simply cease to apply.

What landlords should do now

Preparation is straightforward but worth doing early. Focus on three things: understand the grounds you can rely on to recover your property, tighten your tenant referencing so the people you let to are the ones you want to keep, and review your tenancy paperwork so it reflects periodic terms rather than fixed ones. If you self-manage, this is a sensible moment to weigh up whether a fully managed service would take the compliance burden off your hands.

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