Ministers have been warned that low awareness in London of the new tenants’ rights law could hit the implementation of the reforms due to come into effect in a month.
Only 35% of London’s nearly three million tenants have heard of the Tenant Rights Act (RRA), which received Royal Assent in October 2025, a survey shows.
The London Assembly Housing Committee said most tenants are not aware of their new rights and protections.
Under RRA, Section 21 of eviction will be abolished from May 1. From that date, landlords will need to have a valid reason to end a tenancy.
Also improved:
+ Ban rental bidding wars
+ Replace fixed term tenancy with rolling tenancy
+ Give tenants the right to make reasonable requests for a pet
During the City Hall session, Dr Jennifer Harris of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) said similar reforms in Scotland a decade ago had been “seriously weakened by a lack of awareness”.
In a letter to Mayor Sadiq Khan on March 19, committee chair Zoe Garbett said that according to Generation Rent polling, 40% of tenants who understand the law still lack the confidence to take action against landlords. He urged the Mayor to use his digital platforms to raise awareness about the Act.
The TDS Charitable Foundation reported that 90% of London tenants want more information about how the Act affects them, higher than the national average of 82%. The committee’s letter also called for the information to be aligned with the government’s awareness campaign in April and made accessible, multilingual and tailored to London’s diverse tenant population.
Garbett commented: “Our investigation found that awareness of the new law is worryingly low. Without clear information and support, many tenants will not benefit from the protections the Act is meant to provide.
“The Mayor has the power to ensure Londoners understand these new rights before the law comes into force.”
A spokesperson for Sir Sadiq told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The mayor is dedicated to ensuring that tenants are aware of their rights, and will be communicating widely to ensure that they do so.
“The Mayor has consistently called for the devolution of rent control – which will enable us to develop a system that works for the unique challenges facing London and the capital, including affordability and supply – as we work to create a better, fairer London for all.”