People and renters are positive about the Renters’ Rights Act but, beyond ‘no-fault’ evictions, knowledge of reforms is low

New polling data from Ipsos in the UK, conducted 3-7 April 2026, finds positivity about the Renters’ Right Act but also low awareness of provisions designed to control rent-setting.

The Act came into effect on 1st May. Poll findings were reported by Vicky Spratt, the iPaper’s Housing and Society Correspondent, on 11th May.

Commenting on the findings, Ben Marshall, Research Director at Ipsos in the UK said:

This survey further highlights the affordability struggles many Britons, especially renters, continue to face well as their pessimism about the future.

There is a degree of goodwill towards the Renters Reform Act and general positivity about its potential impact. However, awareness is patchy. One in eight private renters haven’t heard of it at all, and a fifth or more haven’t heard of several provisions to protect them from rent increases.

If they persist, such gaps in knowledge could have potential political ramifications. Labour was elected to deliver change in housing (among other things) and has benefited from the solid backing of private renters at the past four general elections.

But despite that historic support our recent polling shows this segment of voter is growing more open to considering alternatives and progressive parties such as the Greens.

People are positive about the Renters’ Rights Act, particularly those who rent privately

Around three-quarters of Britons (73%) and an even higher proportion of those currently renting privately (85%) have heard of the Renters Rights Act.

1 in 4 Britons (23%) haven’t heard of the Act and 22% say they have heard of it but know nothing about it. Private renters are more clued up, but 1 in 8 of this tenure (12%) haven’t heard of the Act, 14% say they have but know nothing.

People are more positive than negative about its impact - 36% are positive, 10% negative - but most are lukewarm (22%) or don’t know (31%).

However, they warm to it after seeing a selection of the Act’s main provisions. Half (52%) expect it to have a positive impact, 11% expect a negative impact. 7 in 10 (69%) private renters expect it to have a positive impact (just 4% are negative).

The abolition of "no-fault" Section 21 evictions is the most well-known change - 71% of people have heard of this but 22% of the public haven’t and nor have 13% of private renters.

People are more positive than negative about its impact - 36% are positive, 10% negative - but most are lukewarm (22%) or don’t know (31%).

However, they warm to it after seeing a selection of the Act’s main provisions. Half (52%) expect it to have a positive impact, 11% expect a negative impact. 7 in 10 (69%) private renters expect it to have a positive impact (just 4% are negative).

The abolition of "no-fault" Section 21 evictions is the most well-known change - 71% of people have heard of this but 22% of the public haven’t and nor have 13% of private renters.

1 in 3 or more of the public – at least 1 in 5 private renters - haven’t heard of six other provisions including changes designed to bring more financial security to renters:

• 33% hadn’t heard that landlords will only be able to increase rents once a year (20% of private renters).
• 38% hadn’t heard that landlords and agents will have to list rental properties with a fixed price and will be banned from encouraging or accepting bidding wars (24% of private renters).
• 38% hadn’t heard that landlords will only be allowed to take/accept one month’s rent in advance (25% of private renters).

Continued concerns about affordability and the ability of any of the major political parties to improve it provide the backdrop to the Act’s introduction.

A third of Britons are very (11%) or fairly concerned (22%) about their ability to pay their rent/mortgage repayments at the moment

As was the case in May 2022, more private renters are very or fairly concerned about their ability to pay the rent at the moment (51%) than are not (46%) – the equivalent figures were 54% and 45% four years ago.

There is a continued shortage of confidence about affordability. Three-quarters of the public are not very/at all confident about homes becoming more affordable to rent in Britain in the next few years (73%) and to buy (75%) affordability to buy.

Confidence is low/in short supply regardless of political affiliation. Just 30% of 2024 Labour voters are confident about Britain building enough affordable new homes, 20% of Conservative voters, 19% of Lib Dems and 16% of those who voted Reform UK.

Fewer than 1 in 5 (17%) think the Labour Government is doing a good job at improving housing, a decline of 4ppts since May 2025.

There isn’t a clear view on a party that has a better approach to housing, with around 1 in 4 each thinking that Reform UK (25%), the Green Party (23%), and the Conservative Party (22%) would do a better job than the Labour Government at improving housing in Britain.

Technical note:

• Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 2,195 adults aged 16-75 across Great Britain. Polling was conducted online between 3-7 April 2026.
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.