Preparing for 2026: Key Real Estate Law Reforms

From 1 May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies and Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will disappear, replaced by open ended assured periodic tenancies. Landlords will only be able to regain possession through the reformed Section 8 grounds, marking a decisive move towards stronger tenant security.

Alongside the new tenancy structure, the Act bans rent bidding, restricts advance rent, includes a statutory right for tenants to request permission to keep pets, strengthens anti discrimination protections and extends the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector (PRS).

From late 2026, the reforms will be backed by the launch of a new online possession platform, a national PRS database and a mandatory PRS Landlord Ombudsman–creating a more regulated and digitally driven system.

Leasehold ownership is heading for a major reset. Throughout 2026, the government will be pushing through a multi stage programme of reform that reshapes how homes are owned, managed and regulated.

More provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 are expected to take effect during 2026. It will overhaul enfranchisement, ban new leasehold houses (with limited exceptions), tighten service charge regulation and introduce mandatory redress and the right to manage.

But the more transformative change is still to come. The Draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill is expected to dominate the agenda in 2026, laying the foundations for a revived commonhold system and a future without new leasehold flats. Policy intentions indicate the Bill is anticipated to cap ground rents, abolish forfeiture, regulate managing agents and introduce new flexibilities for large, complex schemes.

Commonhold becoming the default for new flats would mark a fundamental change in how multi unit buildings are owned and governed. Managing agents are also likely to face tighter oversight, with the government’s consultation on mandatory qualifications having closed in September 2025 and a response due in 2026. The end of forfeiture would remove a powerful enforcement tool for freeholders—altering the balance of risk and leverage in long standing landlord and tenant relationships.

The government's consultation on improving the residential conveyancing process has closed, with a roadmap expected in 2026. Meanwhile, the Law Society has published updated standard property information forms that solicitors use during house purchases and sales, with new versions becoming mandatory from 30 March 2026. Two live consultations running until March 2026 address freehold estate reforms to give homeowners new rights to challenge estate management charges at tribunal and reducing the prevalence of private managed estates with unadopted amenities. Together, these represent the government's commitment to tackling 'fleecehold' arrangements.

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Energy efficiency is moving rapidly up the agenda, and 2026 will be a pivotal year. The government is expected to publish the long awaited outcomes of its EPC reform programme in the second half of the year, alongside proposals to raise PRS to an EPC C equivalent for new tenancies from 2028 and all tenancies from 2030 subject to consultation and final regulations.

January 2026 will see the launch of the Warm Homes Plan, as the existing ECO scheme ends in March and a new retrofit funding framework is announced. Heat network regulation goes live on 27 January 2026, with Ofgem taking on responsibility for oversight — a shift that will affect energy service companies and any landlords operating heat networks within their portfolio.

The direction of travel is clear: buildings with weak EPC ratings will face declining capital values and reduced marketability as deadlines approach. Properties that cannot reach MEES thresholds risk becoming unlettable, and for landlords with multiple assets, a piecemeal approach to upgrades will no longer be viable.

April 2026 is expected to recalibrate property related costs and income streams through the 2026 revaluation and the planned introduction of five tier business rates multipliers. While earlier projections indicated significant increases in liabilities for pubs, recent indications suggest the government may amend the application of multipliers to moderate those effects. Alongside these anticipated adjustments, transitional relief will be funded by a 1p supplement on non relieved businesses in 2026/27. Until the detail is confirmed, these parallel changes will remain a critical variable in valuation modelling, rent negotiations and asset management strategy.

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The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025, will reshape the planning landscape throughout 2026. Although designed to streamline processes, the reforms introduce new layers of technical and environmental complexity that developers will need to navigate carefully.

A revised National Planning Policy Framework is expected to be implemented after consultations in Summer 2026, setting the strategic tone for plan making and decision taking for years to come. Separately, the government’s consultation on expanded permitted development rights for EV charging infrastructure closes on 21 January 2026, signalling further regulatory updates ahead.

The direction of travel is clear: planning is becoming faster on paper but more demanding in practice, with environmental obligations and technical processes carrying greater weight across all stages of development.

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The forthcoming HMLR contractual controls register will mark a step change in transparency. For the first time, details of certain land control arrangements — including option agreements, pre emption rights and conditional contracts — will be made publicly accessible. Crucially, compliance won’t be optional: failure to register will carry criminal sanctions.

The government's response to the January 2024 consultation is still awaited, but regulations and a pilot register could launch in early 2026.

Developers holding options, landowners relying on pre emption rights and investors using conditional contracts will all face mandatory registration duties. The register will have to be searched as part of standard due diligence in a property transaction, and the visibility of these controls may influence valuation, marketability and lending decisions.

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Building safety regulation is accelerating. In 2026, owners and developers of high rise residential buildings will face several key compliance milestones.

The government is consulting on a single construction regulator, implementing the first recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The consultation runs until 20 March 2026, with a response expected in the summer.

From 6 April 2026, responsible persons must prepare evacuation plans for certain high rise buildings and identify residents needing assistance. From 30 September 2026, all new residential buildings over 18 metres will require two staircases, adding cost and influencing the design and viability of tall schemes.

The Building Safety Levy will apply from 1 October 2026 to qualifying residential and PBSA building control applications — including mixed use and retirement schemes — unless an exemption applies, adding further pressure to viability assessments.