2026 Rental Reforms: How do England and Scotland Compare?

With the Renters’ Rights Act in England and the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 both gaining Royal Assent, landlords face a series of 2026 rental reforms.

In fact, the scene is set for something of a ‘Great Convergence’ between English and Scottish law as the new rules come into force.

Whether you own a single rental home in the Wilton and Salisbury area or a large portfolio with a wider spread, the message is clear: property management is about to get more hands-on than ever.

With that in mind, we’ve created this guide to how England and Scotland compare, with a closer look at the most notable factors, including:

• Periodic tenancies for everyone
  
• Rent offers, increases and controls
  
• The Awaab’s Law October deadline
  
• Eviction tribunals
  
• Why professionalism is no longer optional
  

The common thread for the 2026 rental reforms is that the rulebook has been rewritten for every landlord, so let’s explore the changes to keep you legally compliant and protected.

PERIODIC TENANCIES FOR EVERYONE
On May 1st 2026, a ‘Big Bang’ will see all assured shorthold tenancies in England convert to a rolling periodic system, something that’s been business as usual in Scotland since 2017.

Here are some of the key details:

• Despite initial fears of higher tenancy turnover, terms have actually increased in Scotland from 28 months to 3.5 years, proving that tenants have no desire to constantly move home.
  

• In Scotland, notice periods are 28 days for landlords and tenants. For tenancies that have run for more than 6 months, landlords must give 84 days' notice.
• In England, tenants can serve 2 months’ notice at any time. Landlords must give 4 months’ notice, and only after 8 months, because of the 1-year protected tenancy period.
• Landlords serving notice to renovate, sell, or move back in are blocked from re-letting for a year: from when notice is served in Scotland, but from when the notice expires in England. 
• For anti-social or criminal behaviour, landlords can serve 28 days’ notice at any point in Scotland, while in England, landlords will be able to commence proceedings immediately.

You can already download model tenancy agreements for Scotland from gov.scot, while periodic tenancy templates for England will be available at gov.uk from March.

RENT OFFERS, INCREASES AND CONTROLS
These areas are where Scotland and England still diverge the most in the 2026 rental reforms, so here’s a rundown of how things look north and south of the border.

• Landlords have been required to give three months’ notice of a rent review in Scotland since 2017. In England, the current 1-month requirement will increase to 2 months from 1st May.
  

• Landlords in England will not be able to accept offers higher than the advertised price. This doesn't yet apply in Scotland, but there are discussions to adopt that system in the future.

• In line with the current Scottish system, rent increases in England will be limited to once a year, with tenants able to challenge them, during which time the rent cannot rise.
  
• Local authorities in Scotland now have the power to designate Rent Control Areas where annual increases are restricted to CPI + 1% (capped at 6%).
  

• Tip: if you haven’t raised the rent for years, avoid big jumps, as a tribunal may force you to keep the rent as it is. Use incremental increases to gradually move in line with the market.

In short, professionally presented, data-led, and reasonable annual reviews - backed up with hard evidence - are your best bet for consistent income improvement without conflict.

THE AWAAB’S LAW OCTOBER DEADLINE
Awaab’s Law is set to come into full force across the UK in October 2026. Dealing with health hazards like damp and mould, it’s among the most unforgiving pieces of legislation we’ve seen.

• Given that all rental homes need to be wind and watertight, you need to ensure your tenants understand the importance of ventilating properly, and that they do it. 

• Once a hazard like damp or mould is reported, landlords have 10 working days to investigate the problem.

• You then have 3 working days to provide a written summary of the findings to your tenant, and 5 working days to begin repairs.
  

• If a tenant is difficult around giving you access, you need time-stamped logs of your attempts to enter, or you could end up being liable for damages that can run into thousands.
  

Best practice here is to conduct regular inspections, maintain your property correctly, and get your tenant’s initials next to a clause around damp and mould prevention in the tenancy agreement.

EVICTION TRIBUNALS
With the upcoming removal of the Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction clause from tenancy agreements in England, the established Scottish system of grounds-based evictions will apply to both countries.

• The First-tier Tribunal in Scotland handles disputes for free, but it’s overwhelmed, leading to significant possession delays. A recruitment drive will hopefully speed up the process.
  
• In England, the First-Tier Tribunal requires a fee of around £110 to initiate proceedings, and a further fee of £227 for hearings. The Government is hoping to digitise the system.
  

• Should your tenant fail to leave after a possession order is awarded, you must apply to the Sheriff Officers in Scotland or County Court Bailiffs in England to enforce the eviction.
  

In a world without ‘no-fault’ evictions, evidence is king. Many delays are down to incorrect or incomplete filings by landlords, and success depends very much on the quality of your paper trail.

PROFESSIONALISM IS NO LONGER OPTIONAL
The biggest takeaway from the established rental reforms in Scotland is that solo landlords face an uphill battle to keep pace. Those who stay or enter the sector are seeing the value of agents, and here’s why:

• In Scotland, agents must adhere to the mandatory Letting Agent Code of Practice and register with the Scottish Letting Agent Register.
  
• English agents are subject to strict rules that include belonging to approved schemes for redress and client money protection.
  
• With the upcoming English PRS Database and enhanced Scottish Landlord Register available to the courts, a lack of basic adherence could see possession claims thrown out.
  

Unless being a landlord is your sole job, and you really enjoy the minutiae of management, it’s very easy for compliance fatigue to set in and become a time-consuming and taxing distraction.


Are you ready for the 2026 rental reforms?
Today’s regulatory landscape leaves no room for errors, and we’d love to help you stay or become a successful landlord while we keep your litigation risk in check.

If you’re an existing or budding landlord in the Wilton and Salisbury area, call us on 01722 580059 or email us at info@piccoloproperty.co.uk for an expert and no-strings chat.