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The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. Its biggest changes for landlords, no more Section 21 evictions, the end of fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies, and a new way of raising rent, took effect on 1 May 2026. That is already behind us. If you are an overseas landlord buying or refinancing UK rental property under an expat mortgage UK deal, this is what is different now, and how lenders have reacted to it.
A Changing World for Landlords
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 set out to improve housing quality and tenant security. Four changes matter most if you are letting property in England.
Abolition of Section 21 “No-Fault” Evictions
You cannot end a tenancy anymore just because you want the property back. Section 21 stopped working on 1 May 2026. Instead you need a proper ground for possession under Section 8, and the list of grounds got longer, including a landlord selling the property or moving in themselves. A court will not grant possession simply because a landlord wants the property back.
Ending Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs)
Fixed-term ASTs do not exist anymore either. Every one converted automatically into an open-ended Assured Periodic Tenancy the day the Act came into force, with no fixed end date. A tenant now gives two months’ notice and can leave whenever suits them.
Rent Increase Limits
Rent goes up once a year at most, and only through the formal Section 13 process using Form 4A. Tenants who think a rise is unfair can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal. The Tribunal can accept the landlord’s figure or lower it. It cannot raise it.
New Compliance Requirements
Two more obligations have not landed yet. The Private Rented Sector Database is being rolled out region by region from December 2026, and the Landlord Ombudsman Scheme does not open until 2028. Neither is compulsory today, but both are worth planning for. Further off, the Decent Homes Standard is due to extend into the private rented sector from 2035.
All of this has changed the way lenders offering buy-to-let mortgages to landlords who do not live in the property assess an application. Rental yield and how stable the local market looks now get much closer scrutiny before a loan gets approved.
What This Means for Expat Buy to Let Borrowers
Before the Act, an expat buy-to-let case was mostly judged on credit history, the property’s value and the rent it would bring in. That has shifted. Lenders have redrawn their criteria around the new risks and the extra compliance the Act brings. Here is where expat applicants are feeling it.
Tougher Checks on Affordability
A landlord who cannot evict quickly might have to cover a period with no rent coming in, and lenders factor that in now. Expat applicants are often asked for proof of income beyond the rental itself, a salary, savings, another property, anything that shows the mortgage still gets paid during a void.
Greater Attention on Rental Yields
Rental yield projections get checked harder too. Landlords may need to spend on repairs to meet the Act’s tenant safety requirements, so lenders want the rent on an expat buy-to-let mortgage UK application to cover more than just the mortgage payment. They want a buffer.
Increased Emphasis on Property Condition
Do not be surprised if a lender wants a fresh inspection or an up-to-date Energy Performance Certificate before signing off. Standards for rental property have moved up, and lenders want proof the property already meets them, not a promise that it will.
The Broader Economic Ripple
The picture since 1 May 2026 is mixed. Some smaller landlords found the extra administration was not worth it and sold up, which has thinned out competition for buyers who already had finance lined up. Well-prepared overseas investors are picking up decent stock as a result. Getting a good expat buy-to-let mortgage under the new rules still comes down to timing, having funds ready, and fitting what lenders want to see right now.
Lender Adaptations and Market Shifts
Underwriting for buy to let mortgage for expats has already moved. Some lenders want a larger deposit than before. Others have simply repriced. A dependable foreign income and a clean repayment record still gets access to the best rates available. A number of lenders are also more flexible on individual circumstances than they used to be, with straightforward remortgages and longer terms now open to overseas landlords adjusting to the changes.
Conclusion
The Renters’ Rights Act is not something to prepare for anymore. It is here, and it is what landlords are working under right now. Whether based in the UK or somewhere else entirely, landlords are dealing with more protection for tenants and a bigger compliance workload than existed before 1 May 2026, and buying or refinancing UK rental property from overseas now means budgeting for more paperwork and a longer lead time than it used to take.
None of that closes the door. Investors who are well prepared, with the right documentation ready and professional guidance from an experienced expat mortgage uk, can still work through the adjustment without real difficulty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the Renters' Rights Act 2025 come into force yet?
Most of it, yes. The main tenancy changes took effect on 1 May 2026. Royal Assent was 27 October 2025. Section 21 is gone, Assured Shorthold Tenancies have converted to Assured Periodic Tenancies, and the new Section 13 rent process is in force. The Private Rented Sector Database and the Landlord Ombudsman Scheme are still to come, expected December 2026 and 2028 respectively.
Can I still evict a tenant if I want to sell my UK buy-to-let property?
Yes, but not the way landlords used to. There is no ending a tenancy without a reason anymore. Selling the property or moving in yourself is a recognised ground under Section 8, but you will need to follow the notice period and paperwork that ground requires, rather than expecting an automatic right to vacant possession.
Does the Renters' Rights Act change how much deposit I need for an expat buy-to-let mortgage?
Not directly. Deposit size is set by the lender, not the Act. Some lenders have pushed deposits higher or repriced since May 2026 because they see more risk in the post-reform market. Check what is current before assuming an old quote still applies.
Will I need to register on the Private Rented Sector Database?
Not yet, though it is coming. The database is being introduced region by region from December 2026, so there is no registration requirement live today. Keep it on your radar, because lenders and letting agents will likely start asking about it as more regions come online.
How has the Act changed rent increases on my UK rental property?
Rent can only go up once a year, and only through the formal Section 13 process. A tenant can dispute it at the First-tier Tribunal, and the Tribunal can only confirm your figure or bring it down, never push it higher. Price the increase realistically the first time.
Does the Renters' Rights Act make it harder to get an expat buy-to-let mortgage?
Not harder exactly, but more thorough. Lenders ask more questions on rental yield, affordability buffer and the property’s condition than they did before May 2026. Turn up with a well-prepared application and it moves about as fast as it always did.
Speak to a UK Expat Mortgage Specialist
The Renters’ Rights Act has changed what lenders want to see on a buy-to-let application, and getting it right the first time matters more than it used to. Speak to a specialist who works with expat landlords every day and understands exactly how the new rules are being underwritten.
Expat Mortgages UK is a specialist broker directly authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. As a whole-of-market expat mortgage broker, we work with British expats and foreign nationals across the UK and internationally to secure UK buy-to-let mortgages based on overseas income. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a loan secured against it. Buy-to-let and business-purpose lending secured against investment property is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Call: +44 1494 622 555
Email: info@expatmortgages-uk.com
Related Pages
- UK Buy-to-Let Mortgages for Expats and Foreign Nationals – the full guide to expat buy-to-let mortgage criteria, deposits and lender selection
- Why UK Lenders Treat Expat Income Differently – how overseas income and employment structures are assessed by UK mortgage lenders
- Mortgages for UK Expats With Multiple Properties – what changes when you are building or expanding a UK buy-to-let portfolio from overseas
- How Rental Income Affects Your Expat Buy-to-Let Mortgage Application – how lenders calculate rental yield and affordability
- Expat Limited Company Buy-to-Let Remortgage – Case Study – a real example of portfolio structuring for an overseas landlord