According to new research, tenants report that only one in 10 (9%) of landlords who are actively evicting occupants are doing so in direct response to the upcoming Tenants’ Rights Act.
The finding raises new questions about landlord behavior ahead of the law, revealing that Tenant Rights Act This is often cited as a catalyst for sector exits, but may not be the primary driver in most cases.
Instead, other factors – such as rising costs, regulatory pressures and changing market dynamics – may play a more significant role in landlords’ decisions to regain possession.
So what exactly are the reasons given when tenants are asked to leave? Data provided by SpareRoom, which surveyed 4,484 tenants in England (including 1,897 respondents in London), points to a clear precursor: in 43% of cases, tenants say their landlord cited plans to sell the property as the primary driver behind the eviction. This is in line with broader market trends, where some landlords are choosing to move out amid changing economic conditions and regulatory pressures.
Apart from sales, a significant portion of tenants report more diverse or less clearly defined explanations. About 23% say their landlord provided an alternative reason, while a similar share – also 23% – claim no reason was given. The latter is particularly notable, as it highlights the ongoing lack of transparency in parts of the sector, even as scrutiny of landlord practices has intensified.
A small but still significant section of tenants say landlords are seeking possession to get back into the property themselves, in England it is 14%. This reflects a more traditional justification for terminating a tenancy, often linked to a change in personal circumstances.
against this backdrop, Tenant Rights Act Seems to be a comparatively minor factor. Only 9% of tenants in England (8% in London) report that their eviction is directly linked to upcoming reforms or wider changes to the rental landscape. Overall, the data shows that while the law looms large in the industry debate, day-to-day landlord decisions to regain possession are still driven primarily by financial and practical considerations rather than just policy.
Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom, commented: “Being a landlord requires work and good landlords know this. But there will also be good landlords who have decided that compliance is not worth the hassle and it would be a shame to lose them.”
“It would be an exaggeration to say that supply into the flatshare market is immune from the Tenants’ Rights Act, but it is surprisingly resilient when you consider the response from landlords, many of whom said they planned to leave the market or downsize their portfolios.”
research from spare room This also indicates that since Tenant Rights Act Having received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 – almost six months early – almost 30% of tenants in England who remain in the same property have seen their rents rise. However, the platform does not provide comparable data from a year ago, making it difficult to determine whether this level of rental growth is normal or reflects a change related to current market conditions.
Hutchinson said, “The Tenant Rights Act will give tenants enormous protections. The end of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and fixed-term tenancies, and preventing landlords from demanding several months’ rent in advance is really game-changing for tenants.” “At least in the short term, it is unlikely to reduce fares significantly – but it is a major step towards correcting the power imbalance.”