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Landlords selling up after the Renters' Rights Act? How to win landlord instructions

CodiePi Limited·
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Last updated: 27 October 2026 · By CodiePi Limited

How to win landlord instructions after the Renters' Rights Act comes down to three jobs. Answer the worries landlords now have, show you can keep them compliant, and be easy to find when they compare agents. Some landlords are selling and others are switching agents, so clear landlord pages, honest fees and fast replies decide who gets the call.

In this guide

  • Why landlord instructions are harder to win
  • What changed on 1 May 2026
  • What is still coming
  • Answering landlord worries
  • Showing compliance know-how
  • Being found when landlords compare
  • Landlords who want to sell
  • Portfolio landlords
  • How CodiePi helps
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Why are landlord instructions harder to win after the Renters' Rights Act?

Because the pool is changing. Some smaller landlords are selling, others are waiting to see how the new rules work, and those who stay are comparing agents more carefully. Fewer landlords are looking at any one time, so each instruction goes to the agent who looks most prepared, not the one with the lowest fee.

The surveys point the same way. In the NRLA's Landlord Eye report for the second quarter of 2026, based on 992 landlords, 26% said they had sold or were selling property because of the Act and a further 19% were considering it. The NRLA's summary adds that more than 60% of single property landlords were no longer sure they would still be landlords by the end of next year.

Propertymark's Housing Insight Report for July 2026 puts new fully managed instructions at 3.44 per member branch, against 102 new prospective tenants. One Home Counties member told Propertymark that no new properties were coming onto the market, but the branch was "picking up 'casualties' from other letting agents who have gone out of business".

The market is not simply shrinking, either. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation's September 2026 analysis found the evidence points to ownership consolidating into larger landlords and rising landlord churn, rather than fewer homes to rent. So knowing how to win landlord instructions now means winning landlords who are switching agents, and larger landlords who shop around.

What did the Renters' Rights Act change on 1 May 2026?

The biggest changes for landlords in England started on 1 May 2026. Section 21 no fault evictions ended, tenancies became assured periodic tenancies with no end date, and rent increases moved to a once a year process that tenants can challenge. Advertising, rent in advance, pets and discrimination rules changed too.

GOV.UK's overview for landlords and its 30 April 2026 explainer set out the main points. They are also the questions landlords will ask, and answering them well is where winning landlord instructions starts.

ChangeWhat it means for landlordsWhat your agency should explain
Section 21 abolishedPossession needs a legal ground under section 8Grounds, notice periods and evidence
Assured periodic tenanciesNo fixed end date and tenants can leave with 2 months' noticeHow you plan for voids and protect rent
Selling or moving inThese grounds can't be used in the first 12 months of a tenancyHow to time a sale or a move back in
Rent increasesOnce a year using Form 4A with at least 2 months' noticeHow you set fair, defensible rents
Advertising and offersA stated rent, no bidding and no offers above itHow your listings comply
Rent in advanceNo payment before the tenancy is signed, and one month upfront at mostHow you handle holding deposits and move-in money
Fair accessNo refusing tenants because they have children or receive benefitsHow you reference fairly
PetsTenants can ask, and landlords can only refuse with a valid reasonHow you assess requests

GOV.UK also notes that rent repayment orders now cover more offences and can reach two years' rent, and that the notice period for many grounds is 4 months. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

What changes are still coming for landlords?

Phase 2 starts with a national landlord register. GOV.UK says the Register your rental property service launches on 15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands and reaching other regions over 12 months. A landlord ombudsman is expected later, and a Decent Homes Standard for private rentals is planned by 2035.

The government's 9 September 2026 announcement says landlords will have three months to sign up once their area is called forward, and all landlords actively letting property must be registered by 14 November 2027. Letting agents and landlords will later need registration numbers on adverts, so explaining the register simply is part of how to win landlord instructions.

The draft Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026, laid before Parliament but not yet made at the time of writing, set the East of England start date, which covers Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, as 15 January 2027. The NRLA's database guide and the government's Housing Hub both put the fee at £65 per property each year, pro-rated during the rollout, and the Housing Hub gives landlords in the East of England until 14 April 2027 to register.

Further ahead, the government's implementation roadmap expects ombudsman membership to become mandatory in 2028. The 30 April explainer says the government plans to extend Awaab's Law to private rentals and will consult on how. It also says privately rented homes must reach EPC C or better by 2030 unless exempt. Dates in later phases can move, so check GOV.UK before quoting them to a landlord.

How do you answer landlord worries after the Renters' Rights Act?

Name the worries plainly and answer each one on your website, in your emails and on the phone. Landlords want to know how they get a property back, what happens with arrears, how rent reviews work, what the register will cost and whether they should sell. An agency that answers those questions clearly earns the first call.

The usual list:

  • Getting the property back: which section 8 grounds exist and what evidence each needs.
  • Arrears: how you chase, and what GOV.UK says about the 3 month arrears threshold for a mandatory possession order.
  • Rent: how often you review it, and how you set a figure tenants are unlikely to challenge.
  • New costs: the register fee, safety certificates and any local licence the property needs.
  • Selling: when the sale ground can be used, and what selling with a tenant in place involves.

Turn those into a landlord hub on your site, with one page per worry, dated and linked to GOV.UK. Our guide to what a lettings agent website should show covers the legal display rules and landlord pages behind it. Reuse the same answers in landlord emails and in your rental valuation call script.

Winning landlord instructions is mostly about being the agency that explains things first.

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How do you show landlords your compliance know-how?

Show the proof, then show the process. Publish your client money protection certificate and redress scheme on your website, explain how you protect deposits and serve the right documents, and describe how you will help landlords register on the national database. Landlords trust what they can check, so link each claim to its source.

Start with the basics that are already law. GOV.UK says letting agents holding client money must join an approved client money protection scheme and display the certificate on their website, with fines of up to £5,000 for not displaying it. Letting agents in England must also join one of the approved redress schemes.

Then show how you handle the new rules. A short "how we manage your let" page could cover:

  • Before the let: a compliant advert with a stated rent, fair referencing and the right safety certificates.
  • At move-in: deposit protection, the prescribed information and the Renters' Rights Act information sheet where it applies.
  • During the tenancy: inspections, repairs logged with dates and once a year rent reviews using Form 4A.
  • The register: reminders for your landlords' regional deadline and help gathering the documents they need.

Don't promise outcomes you can't control, such as guaranteed possession. When you think about how to win landlord instructions, specific and honest process beats bold claims.

How do you get found when landlords compare letting agents?

Being visible where landlords look, and easy to compare once they find you, is a big part of how to win landlord instructions. That means a complete Google Business Profile, landlord pages that rank for searches like "letting agents in Peterborough", a clear fees page, genuine landlord reviews and a rental valuation form that works on a phone.

Landlords switching agents often start with a search. If your agency is missing from the map results, our guide to Google Business Profile for estate agents applies to lettings branches too, and our post on why a business may not show up on Google walks through the checks.

Give comparison shoppers what they compare:

  • Service levels: what let-only, rent collection and full management include, side by side.
  • Fees: your full fees list, linked from every landlord page.
  • Areas: the towns and villages you really manage, with a useful page for each core area.
  • A switching page: how moving from another agent works, who contacts the tenant and what happens to the deposit.

Paid search can fill gaps while organic pages grow. Our guide to Google Ads for estate agents explains how to run a landlord campaign without paying for tenant clicks. Strong letting agent marketing usually combines both, with every enquiry tracked back to its source.

How should letting agents handle landlords who want to sell?

Treat a landlord who wants to sell as a client, not a lost instruction. Offer a sales valuation alongside a rental valuation, explain the options for selling with or without tenants, and be honest about timing. Handled well, an exiting landlord can become a sales instruction, a referral or a returning client.

GOV.UK's overview says a landlord can't use the selling ground in the first 12 months of a tenancy, and for many grounds the notice period is 4 months. So timing is part of your advice: a landlord planning to sell next spring needs to hear about notice periods now.

JRF also cites a Handelsbanken survey in which 84% of professional property investors planned to expand their portfolios in 2026. If you sell homes with tenants in place to other landlords, the exiting landlord's property can stay on your books under a new owner. That is how to win landlord instructions even when one landlord leaves.

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What do portfolio landlords look for when comparing agents?

Portfolio landlords want proof you can run many properties without mistakes. They look for clear reporting, one named contact, compliance tracked across every property, sensible fees for multiple lets and an agency that understands the register and the rules coming later. They compare agents carefully because a mistake costs them more.

Under the draft database rules, deadlines follow the property's region, so a landlord with homes in two regions faces two deadlines. An agency that can map those deadlines across a portfolio is offering something many landlords will value.

What to show portfolio landlords:

  • Reporting: a sample monthly statement with rent, arrears, repairs and certificate expiry dates.
  • Compliance tracking: how you record gas, electrical and EPC dates for every property.
  • One point of contact: a named manager, not a shared inbox.
  • Fees for scale: how your pricing works across several properties, in writing.

For portfolio owners, winning the instruction often starts with a portfolio review: look at their current setup and send a written summary, rather than a generic brochure.

How does CodiePi help letting agents win more landlords?

We build the landlord side of your marketing: landlord pages that answer real worries, a fees and compliance page landlords can check, a Google Business Profile that matches, and search and email campaigns that reach landlords comparing agents. Every enquiry is tracked, so you can see which channel brings in landlord instructions.

If you are unsure how to win landlord instructions in your area, our free audit shows how your agency appears online, the main issues costing you enquiries and how you compare with local competitors, with nothing to pay. Our digital marketing services cover email, paid search and paid social, and our search engine optimisation services cover landlord pages, local search and technical fixes. We won't promise rankings or instructions, and we don't give legal advice.

CodiePi Limited is based at 11 Carpenters Way, Doddington, March PE15 0RZ. We have no city-centre office and work with agencies across Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the rest of the UK, mostly online and by phone. Find us on Instagram at @codiepi.ltd, or book a free call.

How to win landlord instructions: FAQs

Can landlords still use section 21 in England?

No. Since 1 May 2026, landlords in England can't serve a section 21 notice, even if an older tenancy agreement mentions it. To end a tenancy they need a legal ground under section 8, the right notice period and, if the tenant doesn't leave, a possession order from the court. GOV.UK's guidance for landlords sets out the grounds.

When do landlords have to register on the new database?

GOV.UK says the Register your rental property service opens on 15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands. Each region then gets three months to register once called forward, and all landlords actively letting must be registered by 14 November 2027. The draft regulations give the East of England a start date of 15 January 2027.

How do letting agents win more landlords after the Renters' Rights Act?

Answer landlord worries clearly and early, show your compliance with certificates and plain process pages, and make your agency easy to find and compare online. Offer rental valuations, switching help and portfolio reviews, and reply quickly. Knowing how to win landlord instructions now is less about a lower fee and more about looking prepared.

Should landlords sell up because of the Renters' Rights Act?

That depends on each landlord's finances, property and plans, so it's a question for their own advisers. An agent can help by giving honest sales and rental valuations, explaining the notice rules and timings, and setting out what keeping the property would involve. Landlords respect agents who show both options rather than pushing one.

What letting agent marketing works best for winning landlords?

There is no single channel. Most agencies need a landlord section on their website, a complete Google Business Profile, regular emails to landlords on their database and, where budget allows, paid search for landlord terms. Track every enquiry to its source and put more time into the channels that bring in instructions. That is how to win landlord instructions without guessing.

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