The end of fixed term tenancies arrives on 1st May 2026. From that date, the Renters' Rights Act abolishes fixed term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs), replacing them with open-ended periodic tenancies as the only form of residential letting agreement. This guide explains what the end of fixed term tenancies actually means in practice, how the new periodic tenancy regime works, which Section 8 possession grounds you'll rely on, and how to adapt your processes accordingly.
The Renters' Rights Act is the most significant reform to England's private rented sector in decades. Its central aims are to give tenants greater security of tenure and to end what critics called the use of fixed term contracts and no-fault evictions as tools of instability.
The headline changes affecting letting agents and landlords are:
Under the previous laws, a fixed term AST gave both landlord and tenant a contractual commitment to a set period, traditionally 6 or 12 months. During that period, neither party could end the tenancy unless the other had breached the agreement. At the end of the fixed term, the tenancy either rolled into a statutory periodic tenancy automatically or was renewed by agreement.
Critics of fixed term contracts argued that they created two specific problems. First, the end of a fixed term — even where a landlord had no complaint about a tenant — created an opportunity to use Section 21 to remove a tenant without giving a reason. Second, fixed term tenancies gave tenants little practical security: a family could be asked to leave at the end of a 12-month term because a landlord wanted to sell, refurbish, or move back into their own property.
The Renters' Rights Act responds to both concerns by removing the fixed term altogether. There is now no contractual end date, and no mechanism by which the mere expiry of a term can trigger the end of a tenancy. You can no longer issue a fixed term AST for any new tenancy. Any tenancy agreement you use must be drafted as a periodic tenancy from the start.
A periodic tenancy has no fixed end date. It continues indefinitely on a rolling basis, typically month to month, until either party exercises their right to end it through the appropriate legal mechanism. Under the Renters' Rights Act, all new tenancies must be structured this way. The period of the tenancy is determined by the rent payment cycle.
LetHQ is built for letting agents and landlords operating in a more demanding compliance environment. With the end of fixed term tenancies now a legal reality, our platform brings together tenant referencing and Right to Rent checks in one place, so that when a tenant gives notice and the clock starts, you're not scrambling.
Fast, reliable referencing isn't just an operational nicety under the Renters' Rights Act — it's a necessity to ensure you are allowing the correct candidates to take up a tenancy in your property. Every day of unnecessary delay between a tenant's notice and a new tenancy starting is a day of void you or your clients will remember.
If you'd like to find out how LetHQ can support your agency through the Renters' Rights Act transition, get in touch with our team today.
The end of fixed term tenancies is a fundamental change to how the private rented sector operates. For letting agents and landlords it removes familiar landmarks — the renewal, the expiry date, the Section 21 backstop — and replaces them with a regime that rewards process, communication, and compliance competence.
The landlords and agents who will thrive are those who adapt their workflows now: updating tenancy agreements, building knowledge, accelerating referencing, protecting their rent and having honest conversations with clients about what the new rules mean for their investments. LetHQ is here to support that transition. Contact us to find out how our tenant referencing and Right to Rent platform can help you and your business stay ahead.
