A quarter of landlords say they plan to leave the market because of the Renters’ Rights Act, according to new NRLA research, even as many others say they are still waiting for the final documents and guidance needed to prepare properly for the 1 May changes.
The NRLA’s latest deep-dive on landlord preparations says the sector is not panicking, but it is clearly not relaxed either. Drawing on Landlord Eye survey data collected before Royal Assent, the association says landlords are still worried about slower possession routes, stretched courts and how the new system will work in practice once Section 21 disappears.
NRLA says landlords are adapting but some are heading for the exit
The most striking finding is that 24 percent of landlords surveyed said they planned to leave the market because of the reforms. Others reported scaling back investment or taking a more cautious stance until the final statutory paperwork arrives. The NRLA says the government still has to publish the information leaflet for existing tenants and the new periodic assured tenancy agreement, leaving the sector with a compressed preparation window.
For landlords, that matters because legal compliance is no longer just about knowing the headline reform. It is about having the right documents, updated workflows and enough time to change tenancy processes before the deadline bites. That becomes harder when key pieces of the implementation framework land late.
The NRLA also noted that some landlords have already issued Section 21 notices before the route closes. Under the transition rules, notices served before 1 May 2026 remain valid provided court proceedings begin before 31 July 2026. That means the scramble to act early is not just theoretical. Some landlords are already making possession decisions sooner than they otherwise would have done.
Late guidance could turn compliance into a last-minute rush
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s report on possession instructions jumping 60 percent before the Section 21 deadline, which showed landlords were already moving early rather than waiting for the new regime to bed in. The NRLA’s latest findings suggest that pattern has not gone away. If anything, it may deepen as the final implementation details come closer.
Landlord Knowledge has also covered rent guarantee providers stretching cover to 18 months because they expect longer arrears and possession cases once the reforms take effect. That is another sign that firms pricing landlord risk are preparing for a slower and costlier system, even if many individual landlords still feel short of practical guidance.
The real danger for landlords is not simply that the law is changing. It is that the final compliance burden gets pushed into a narrow window, forcing rushed document checks, tenancy reviews and decisions on whether marginal properties are still worth holding. A landlord who intends to stay in the market may still find themselves making exit decisions if the operational burden lands all at once.
The NRLA’s analysis is published in its latest deep insight on preparations for the Renters’ Rights Act. While the association is trying to reassure landlords that support is available, the data still points to a sector under pressure rather than one moving calmly towards the deadline.
What this means for landlords
- If you have existing tenancies: do not assume the remaining detail is minor – watch for the final information leaflet and tenancy paperwork before 1 May.
- Watch for: a late surge in compliance demand from landlords, agents and courts as the new rules take hold.
- If you are weighing whether to hold or sell: factor in slower possession, more administration and higher legal risk rather than looking only at rent levels.
- Bottom line: landlords may be willing to adapt, but the implementation window still looks tight enough to push more owners into rushed decisions.
Editor’s view
The government may think certainty arrived with Royal Assent, but landlords still need the working tools that make compliance possible. When the paperwork comes late, the market does not become calmer – it becomes more rushed, more selective and more expensive to operate in.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 23 April 2026
Sources: NRLA deep insight and Landlord Eye survey, government Renters’ Rights Act implementation timetable
Related reading: Section 21 rush sends landlord possession instructions up 60%
