More than two thirds of tenants in managed homes either think their landlord or managing agent is not fully compliant with the Renters’ Rights Act or do not know whether the rules have been met, according to new research from Rushbrook & Rathbone.
The property management firm’s survey of 1,105 tenants found only 32 percent believe their landlord or property manager is fully compliant. Another 42 percent believe there are at least some gaps, while 26 percent said they do not know whether the new rules have been followed at all.
For landlords, the warning is not just about legal compliance. It points to a communication problem one month after the Act took effect, at a time when councils, agents and tenants are all watching more closely for missed paperwork, weak processes and unresolved hazards.
Communication gaps are still showing
Rushbrook & Rathbone said half of surveyed tenants had received no explanation of how the legislation affects them. Just 29 percent said the changes had been fully explained, while 59 percent said their tenancy agreement had not been updated to reflect the new regime.
That matters because the early post-RRA period is when landlords are most exposed to disputes over what was said, what was served and what evidence exists. If tenants feel unclear about their rights, complaints and challenges become more likely even where a landlord believes they are acting properly.
The survey also found only 40 percent of respondents believe their home meets the Act’s hazard-related requirements, and just 19 percent said their landlord or managing agent had proactively dealt with problems in the property.
Why the first month matters
Roma Sharma, managing director of Rushbrook & Rathbone, said tenants should now have confidence that managers have taken the steps needed to comply and communicate relevant changes. Instead, she said many remain unsure what has changed, what protections are in place and whether their property manager has fully adapted.
That leaves landlords with a practical risk as well as a reputational one. A tenant who feels ignored on compliance, hazards or paperwork is more likely to escalate issues, especially as the new regime beds in and councils sharpen their enforcement approach.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s report on landlords tightening tenant checks after the Renters’ Rights Act, which showed owners were already changing behaviour in response to the new rules. It also builds on Landlord Knowledge’s recent coverage of London licensing fines after the RRA switch, underlining that compliance risk is widening beyond headline policy changes. For the latest survey, the issue is simpler: many tenants still cannot see clear evidence that the rules have been embedded.
Landlords who use agents may want to check now whether agreement updates, hazard-response records and tenant communications are all in place, rather than assuming their managing agent has covered every detail. Those who self-manage face the same pressure, but without an intermediary to absorb mistakes.
More detail on the firm behind the survey is available from Rushbrook & Rathbone.
What this means for landlords
- If you use a managing agent: ask for written confirmation that tenancy documents, notices and communication templates were updated after the Act came into force.
- If you self-manage: review what tenants have actually been told, not just what you intended to send.
- Watch for: complaints linked to hazards, delayed repairs or older tenancy paperwork that still reflects the pre-RRA position.
- Bottom line: in the first month of the new regime, unclear communication can become a compliance problem in its own right.
Editor’s view
The headline risk here is not that every landlord has failed. It is that too many tenants still cannot tell whether the new rules have been followed, and that uncertainty is exactly where disputes tend to start.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 04 June 2026
Sources: Rushbrook & Rathbone research, Renters’ Rights Act framework
Related reading: Survey shows landlords tightening tenant checks after RRA
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