Renters' Rights Act 2026 — Electrical Implications for London Landlords

Section 21 'no-fault' evictions abolished from May 2026. Landlords can no longer end tenancies without specifying a reason.

All assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) automatically convert to periodic tenancies after the fixed term. No more fixed-term renewals.

Possession routes (Section 8) expanded with new mandatory grounds — including specific provisions for landlords needing to sell or move family in.

Stronger enforcement around compliance — including electrical safety. The Act gave councils additional inspection powers and tied possession claims to ongoing compliance.

The 5-year EICR cycle from the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020 remains the same. EICR at start of every new tenancy and every 5 years.

The 28-day remedial window is unchanged. Landlords must remedy any unsatisfactory EICR within 28 days.

Civil penalty for breach remains up to £30,000 per breach per property.

Difference under the new Act: councils now have powers to require an EICR on demand, even outside the standard cycle, if a tenant complains of electrical issues. Tenants are more empowered to escalate.

Under the old regime, a fixed-term tenancy ended and a new one began — triggering a fresh EICR requirement at the new tenancy start.

Under the new Act, the tenancy continues as a single periodic tenancy. No 'new tenancy' triggers a fresh EICR requirement just because the fixed term ended.

However, when the tenant leaves and a new tenant moves in, that IS a new tenancy and EICR is still required.

Practically: landlords with long-term tenants on the same tenancy face fewer EICR triggers. EICR is now every 5 years on the regular cycle, not at random tenancy events.

Under the new Section 8 grounds, landlords claiming possession must show 'ongoing compliance' including a valid EICR. An out-of-date or unsatisfactory EICR can derail a possession claim.

Tenants defending possession can raise non-compliance as a counter-claim. Courts have discretion to delay possession until compliance is achieved.

Practical: get your EICR diary into order before any possession claim. Renewing an EICR mid-claim is achievable but adds delay and visible disorganisation.

Tenant Right to Repair — tenant can request reasonable repairs in writing and trigger council intervention if landlord fails to act within reasonable timescales.

Includes electrical repairs. A C1 or C2 EICR finding effectively triggers tenant right to repair plus the 28-day landlord obligation under ESS 2020.

Council enforcement is faster and lower-cost for tenants — many councils now run online complaint portals with 14-day response targets.

Landlords should plan compliance as proactive, not reactive. The cost of catching up under tenant pressure is higher than scheduled preventive maintenance.

Selective licensing schemes (Newham, Croydon, Lambeth, etc.) often add their own electrical requirements on top of the Act. Layered compliance is the norm.

London Mayor's London Renters Charter (advisory, not legally binding) sets aspirational standards including 'no electrical issues longer than 14 days'. Some boroughs use this as their target.

Possession backlogs in London courts under the new regime are running at 8-14 weeks. Compliance evidence ready upfront speeds up any possession claim.

MEES band C deadline (1 October 2030) sits alongside the new Act. Landlords planning compliance roadmap should include EICR cycle, MEES upgrade plan, and EPC renewal in a single 5-year plan.