The Renters’ Rights Act is coming, are your move-ins ready for May 1st?

From 1 May 2026, the rental market will change dramatically. The new Renters’ Rights Act introduces rolling tenancies, ends Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions and caps rent in advance to just one month.

For agents, this isn’t just legislation, it’s a shift in how tenancies are structured and managed.

The traditional model relied on upfront costs and fixed-term agreements. But with limits on upfront rent and greater tenant mobility, agents will need faster, more flexible move-in processes to stay competitive.

That’s where deposit alternatives come into play.

Instead of tying up thousands of pounds in a traditional deposit, deposit alternatives allow tenants to move faster while ensuring landlords remain protected. For agents, that means:

• Faster tenant conversions
• Fewer failed move-ins due to affordability
• Reduced administrative burden around deposit handling
• Stronger landlord protection backed by technology

As the market adjusts to periodic tenancies and increased tenant choice, flexibility will become a competitive advantage. Agents who modernise their move-in experience will attract more tenants, win more landlord instructions and streamline operations.

The Renters’ Rights Act aims to modernise renting. Forward-thinking agents should do the same.

Upgrade your move-in experience with flatfair’s No Deposit solution, giving tenants a smarter alternative to deposits while protecting landlords, with Tenant Shield protection included.