Landlord and Tenant Solicitors in East London

The ground rules for renting in England changed on 1 May 2026, when the principal reforms in the Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into force. Section 21 no-fault notices went, and most existing assured and assured shorthold tenancies converted automatically into periodic assured tenancies, with any remaining fixed term brought to an end on that date. A landlord seeking possession now has to serve a section 8 notice and set out one of the statutory grounds, and rent increases must go through the section 13 procedure. Any tenancy paperwork drawn up before that date is unlikely to reflect the current position.

Licensing is the other thing that catches East London landlords, because it varies between boroughs rather than following a single national rule. Several East London boroughs operate selective licensing, which requires a licence for ordinary private lettings, on top of the mandatory licensing that applies to larger houses in multiple occupation everywhere in England. Whether a particular property needs one turns on the borough and sometimes on the area within it, so it is worth checking rather than assuming. Letting without the required licence risks a financial penalty and a rent repayment order, under which a tenant or the council can reclaim up to twelve months' rent.