Tenants Doubt Agents Are Complying with the Renters' Rights Act
Despite the Renters' Rights Act representing one of the most significant shake-ups to the private rented sector in decades, a striking new finding has emerged: just one in three tenants believe their property managers or letting agents are actually meeting the new legal requirements. That means a staggering two-thirds of renters are either uncertain or actively suspicious that the agents managing their homes are falling short of the law.
This widespread scepticism is more than a PR problem for the lettings industry. It signals a profound trust gap between tenants and the professionals who are supposed to be protecting their rights. For landlords, agents, and property managers, understanding why this perception exists — and what to do about it — has never been more urgent.
What Is the Renters' Rights Act?
The Renters' Rights Act is landmark legislation designed to fundamentally rebalance the relationship between landlords and tenants in England. Among its most headline-grabbing provisions is the abolition of Section 21 "no-fault" evictions, which for decades allowed landlords to remove tenants without providing a reason. The Act also strengthens tenants' rights around rent increases, introduces new standards for property conditions, and creates a statutory decent homes standard for the private rented sector.
For letting agents and property managers, the Act introduces a raft of new obligations. These range from conducting thorough property condition checks to following stricter procedures around tenancy termination and rent reviews. Non-compliance can result in significant financial penalties and reputational damage.
Given how wide-reaching these changes are, you might expect tenants to feel more protected than ever before. So why don't they?
Why Are So Many Tenants Unconvinced?
The fact that only a third of tenants believe agents are compliant points to several underlying issues that the lettings sector must take seriously.
Lack of Transparency and Communication
One of the primary drivers of tenant scepticism is a simple failure of communication. Many tenants report that they have received little to no information from their agents or landlords about how their tenancy is being managed differently under the new rules. When agents don't proactively explain what they are doing to comply — and why it matters for tenants — renters are left in the dark and naturally assume nothing has changed.
Agents who are genuinely compliant have a golden opportunity to demonstrate this through clear, jargon-free communication. Sending tenants a summary of their updated rights under the Act, or explaining any procedural changes in plain English, costs relatively little but can go a long way toward building credibility and trust.
Historical Distrust of the Lettings Industry
It would be naïve to ignore the fact that this scepticism doesn't exist in a vacuum. The private rented sector has long carried a reputation — sometimes fairly, sometimes unfairly — for prioritising landlord interests over tenant welfare. Practices such as slow deposit returns, slow repairs, and sudden rent increases have left many tenants with a deeply ingrained suspicion of agents and property managers.
The Renters' Rights Act was introduced partly because of this established pattern. Overcoming years of accumulated distrust requires sustained, consistent effort rather than a single policy change. Tenants need to see the new rules actually being applied to their day-to-day experience before belief follows.
Uneven Implementation Across the Sector
Not all agents are equal. While many larger, professionally accredited agencies have invested heavily in training and system updates to meet the new requirements, smaller operations have been slower to adapt. This uneven implementation means that tenants' real-world experiences vary enormously, making broad confidence in sector-wide compliance difficult to achieve.
Industry bodies and regulators have a role to play here in driving consistent standards, but individual agents must also take personal accountability for getting their houses in order — quite literally.
What Agents and Landlords Should Do Now
The findings make one thing abundantly clear: being compliant is not enough on its own. Agents must also be seen to be compliant. Here are the key steps the lettings industry should be taking.
Conduct a Thorough Compliance Audit
Start from the inside out. Every agency should carry out a comprehensive review of its current processes and policies to confirm they align with the Renters' Rights Act. This includes reviewing tenancy agreements, deposit handling procedures, maintenance response protocols, and rent review processes. Where gaps exist, they need to be closed immediately.
Invest in Staff Training
Compliance is only as strong as the people responsible for delivering it. Frontline property managers need to be fully versed in the new legislation — not just in its broad strokes, but in its practical day-to-day implications. Regular training sessions and access to up-to-date legal guidance are essential investments, not optional extras.
Communicate Proactively with Tenants
Agents should be reaching out to tenants to explain what the Renters' Rights Act means for them and how the agency is putting it into practice. This could take the form of a welcome letter for new tenancies, a circular to existing tenants, or an updated section on the agency's website. Transparency is the fastest route to rebuilding confidence.
Seek Accreditation and Display It Proudly
Accreditation from recognised bodies such as ARLA Propertymark or the Property Ombudsman gives tenants an independent signal that an agent operates to professional standards. Agencies that hold accreditation should make this visible across all their communications — websites, social media, and tenancy documents.
The Bigger Picture: Trust as a Business Imperative
For letting agents, the takeaway from this data should be both sobering and motivating. A sector where two-thirds of tenants doubt the professionals managing their homes is a sector with serious structural credibility problems. But credibility, once built, is also a powerful competitive advantage.
Agents who rise to meet the moment — who not only comply with the Renters' Rights Act but actively demonstrate that compliance to the people they serve — will be the ones who thrive as the market evolves. Tenant trust, once earned, translates into longer tenancies, stronger referrals, and a reputation that no amount of marketing spend can manufacture.
The Renters' Rights Act has set a new baseline. The question now is which agents will treat it as a ceiling, and which will use it as a foundation to build something better.