Most private renters have at least heard of the Renters’ Rights Act, but a large minority still do not understand some of the rules now shaping rent rises, upfront payments and bidding wars. For landlords, that matters because confusion among tenants can quickly turn into complaints, disputes and weak expectations management.
Tenant support is high, but knowledge is patchy
New polling from Ipsos found 73 percent of Britons and 85 percent of private renters had heard of the Renters’ Rights Act. That sounds encouraging on the surface. The problem is that awareness drops sharply once the detail is tested.
According to the poll, 23 percent of the public had not heard of the Act at all, while 22 percent said they had heard of it but knew nothing about it. Even within the private rented sector, 12 percent of renters had not heard of the Act and 14 percent said they knew nothing about it.
The best-known change is the end of Section 21 no-fault evictions, with 71 percent of people aware of it. But large gaps remain around the rules that will affect day-to-day tenancy conversations. Ipsos said 33 percent had not heard that landlords can raise rent only once a year, 38 percent had not heard that agents and landlords must advertise a fixed price rather than encourage bidding wars, and 38 percent had not heard that only one month’s rent can be taken in advance.
That creates a practical risk for landlords. Tenants may know the headline politics of reform without understanding the limits, timing or paperwork behind individual rights. Good landlords and agents will now need to spend more time explaining process, not just enforcing it.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s coverage of the new section 8 and rent forms, which showed how much of the post-1 May landscape depends on technical detail rather than slogans. It also sits alongside Landlord Knowledge’s earlier report on renter confusion over the reforms. The latest Ipsos figures suggest that information gap has not closed just because the law is now live.
Affordability fears still shape the mood
The Ipsos poll also found a third of Britons were concerned about meeting rent or mortgage payments, rising to 51 percent of private renters. Three-quarters said they were not confident homes would become more affordable to rent over the next few years.
For landlords, that is the awkward backdrop to the new regime. Tenant rights may be clearer in law, but affordability pressure still shapes behaviour. Where renters are anxious about costs, disagreements over rent reviews, advance payments or property marketing can escalate more quickly.
There is a useful warning here for landlords tempted to treat compliance as a box-ticking exercise. The legal changes are only half the job. The other half is making sure tenants understand what has changed and what has not. Ipsos has published the full polling on Renters Rights Act awareness.
What this means for landlords
- If you self-manage: review your tenant communications now, especially around rent reviews, advance rent and how properties are advertised.
- If you use an agent: check they are giving tenants clear written explanations, not assuming the market already understands the new rules.
- Watch for: more disputes driven by misunderstanding rather than deliberate non-compliance.
- If you are re-letting: make sure listings, application processes and payment requests match the post-1 May rules.
- Bottom line: landlords who explain the new regime clearly will have fewer avoidable arguments later.
Editor’s view
Landlords should not mistake public goodwill for public understanding. The Renters Rights Act may be popular, but unclear tenants can still create messy disputes. In this phase, plain communication is becoming part of compliance.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 15 May 2026
Sources: Ipsos
Related reading: Rightmove: 37% of renters unclear on RRA changes
📘 Renters’ Rights Act: Complete Landlord Guide
Everything you need to know about the new rules – 1 May 2026
