The Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026 and is the biggest change to private renting in England for decades. If you let a property in Oxford, it changes how your tenancies work, how you can end them and how you can raise the rent. This guide explains what the Renters’ Rights Act means for landlords in plain English, and why a growing number of owners are looking at managed short lets as an alternative.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For your own property, speak to a solicitor or a qualified letting professional.
What Changed Under the Renters’ Rights Act
According to the government’s Renters’ Rights Act guidance for landlords, these are the main changes:
- No more fixed terms: existing assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies, and new tenancies are periodic too. They run on a rolling basis with no end date.
- Section 21 is abolished: you can no longer end a tenancy without giving a reason. You must serve a section 8 notice using one of the grounds for possession, usually with 4 months’ notice.
- Selling or moving back in: you cannot use these grounds in the first 12 months of a tenancy.
- Rent increases: limited to once a year using Form 4A, with at least 2 months’ notice. Tenants can challenge increases above the open market rent.
- Rent arrears: the mandatory ground for possession now applies at 3 months’ arrears.
- Penalties: rent repayment orders can now be up to 2 years’ rent.
Landlords also had to give existing tenants the government’s Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. Further measures, including a landlord database and a landlord ombudsman, are being introduced in stages.
What the Renters’ Rights Act Means for Oxford Landlords
For many landlords, the biggest change is the loss of flexibility. With rolling tenancies and no section 21, getting your property back now takes longer and needs a valid reason. If you might want to sell, refurbish or move a family member in, you cannot do that in the first year of a tenancy, and after that you need to follow the section 8 process.
Rent reviews are also more limited. You can raise the rent once a year, and tenants can challenge an increase they think is above market rate. In a city like Oxford, where demand and prices move quickly, that can leave your income lagging behind the market.
Are Short Lets the Answer?
Short lets, also called serviced accommodation, work differently. Guests book for days or weeks, usually for work, study visits or hospital stays, and the property is managed and cleaned between stays. These stays are generally not assured tenancies, so the Renters’ Rights Act tenancy rules do not apply in the same way. How an arrangement is classed depends on the details, so check your own situation before you switch.
For the right property, a managed short let can offer:
- Flexibility: there is no long-term tenancy, so you keep the option to sell, refurbish or use the property yourself.
- Pricing that follows the market: nightly rates adjust to demand through the year, instead of one rent review a year.
- Higher earning potential: a two-bedroom apartment we manage in Oxford OX1 earned its landlord an average of £2,876 a month over the last 12 months, after all fees, bills and cleaning, compared with £1,614 a month on its previous self-managed long let. That is 78% more.
- A well-kept property: professional cleaning after every stay and regular property checks.
What to Consider Before Switching
- Income varies: short let income changes with the seasons and is not guaranteed in the way a fixed rent is.
- Location matters: properties near the city centre, the hospitals and the universities tend to perform best. We manage 1 to 3 bedroom homes in OX1, OX2, OX3 and OX4.
- Permissions: check your mortgage, lease and insurance allow short lets. Oxford City Council has taken the view that short-term letting can amount to a change of use that needs planning permission, so check whether this applies to your property.
- Management: short lets are hands-on. Guests need answers quickly, and the property needs cleaning and checking between every stay. That is why most landlords choose a managed service.
How Spencer & Jackson Can Help
We have been managing short lets in Oxford since 2022. We handle everything, from listing and pricing to guest messages, check-ins, cleaning, maintenance and monthly statements. Every guest is verified through SafeGuest, with an ID check, signed rental terms and a £150 security deposit, and noise monitoring is fitted at every property we manage.
Our fee is 15% of net booking revenue plus a £19 monthly operating fee, with no setup costs. Read our guide to how much Airbnb management costs in Oxford, or see how our Oxford Airbnb management service works and request a free income estimate for your property.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Renters’ Rights Act come into force?
The main changes took effect on 1 May 2026. Landlords had until 31 May 2026 to give existing tenants the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet.
Can landlords still use section 21?
No. Section 21 has been abolished. Landlords must serve a section 8 notice using one of the grounds for possession, usually with 4 months’ notice.
Does the Renters’ Rights Act apply to short lets?
Short stays managed as serviced accommodation are generally not assured tenancies, so the Act’s tenancy rules do not apply in the same way. How an arrangement is classed depends on the details, so take legal advice for your own property.
