Author: Jane Preston

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduces major reforms designed to strengthen tenant rights, increase transparency, and improve security. It is the biggest shake-up in the private rented sector in a generation.

ThamesWey has fully embraced the changes, which come into force in May 2026, and is prepared to support every resident through the transition.

No-Fault Evictions Abolished

From 1 May 2026, Section 21 no-fault evictions are abolished. Landlords must now provide a valid legal reason to end a tenancy using a formal Section 8 notice – such as significant rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, or a landlord’s genuine need to sell or occupy the property.

Importantly, sale or landlord moving in cannot be used within the first 12 months of a tenancy, giving new residents meaningful security.

Rolling Tenancies for Everyone

Fixed-term tenancies are being replaced with rolling periodic tenancies. For most tenants, this means a simple monthly rolling arrangement that continues until either party ends it through the proper legal process.

Tenants benefit from greater flexibility: you can leave by giving two months’ written notice, aligned to a rent due date.

Fair, Transparent and Challengeable Rent Increases

Under the new rules, landlords can:

• Increase rent once per year.
• Use the formal Section 13 process.
• Provide two months’ written notice via Form 4A.
• Set increases no higher than the open market rent.

Tenants can challenge any proposed increase they believe is above market rate at the First-tier Tribunal.

ThamesWey already follows a fair, market-aligned approach to rent reviews and welcomes the clarity this framework brings.

The Right to Keep a Pet

From 1 May 2026, tenants have the right to request to keep a pet. Landlords must consider each request fairly and cannot unreasonably refuse. Any refusal must be provided in writing with reasons. ThamesWey will continue to assess all pet requests transparently and case by case.

What This All Means for ThamesWey Tenants

ThamesWey has been preparing for the new legislation and will ensure a smooth transition for all residents. Our lettings and tenancy management teams are fully briefed, and tenants will receive detailed information by email in the coming weeks. You can also download the government’s official information sheet here: The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 – GOV.UK

ThamesWey has always believed that secure, well-managed tenancies benefit everyone – residents who can make a home with confidence, and landlords who value long-term stability. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 brings significant change, and ThamesWey is ready to deliver it.

Strong Overall Satisfaction

88% of tenants are very or fairly satisfied with ThamesWey as their landlord – a consistently strong result that continues to improve year on year. Seven out of eight key benefit measures recorded higher agreement scores than last year.

Trust is rising too:

• 74% of tenants say they trust ThamesWey Housing (up from 71%).
• 76% agree ThamesWey does what it says it will do (up from 69%).

Repairs and Maintenance: A Key Driver of Confidence Growing

Repairs remain the single biggest influence on tenant satisfaction, and confidence is growing.

• 90% of tenants are confident their next repairs experience will be good (up from 88%).

Positive repairs experiences strongly correlate with higher tenant satisfaction across all other measures, reflecting the impact of ongoing improvements to the service.

Service That Feels Supportive

Tenants continue to rate ThamesWey’s people highly:

• 86% say staff are helpful and polite.
• 85% say ThamesWey responds quickly when contacted.

These day-to-day interactions shape how residents feel about their landlord, and the results show a team that is delivering consistently strong service.

Homes That Improve Security and Stability

One of the most powerful findings comes from new tenants:

• 82% feel more secure since moving into a ThamesWey home.
• This rises to 91% among those on affordable rents.

These results speak directly to ThamesWey’s social purpose – providing homes that offer stability as well as quality.

A Smooth Move-In Experience

The experience of moving into a ThamesWey home continues to strengthen:

• 81% say moving in was made easy (up from 74%).
• 94% were clear on when and how to make payments from the outset.

Outperforming National Benchmarks

ThamesWey’s results compare strongly with national datasets:

• Private renters nationally report 81% satisfaction (English Housing Survey 2024/25).
• Registered social housing providers average c.75% (RHS Tenant Satisfaction Measures 2024/25).

ThamesWey exceeds both – despite operating outside the regulated social housing framework.

Looking Ahead

The annual survey is a key tool for listening to tenants and shaping future improvements. ThamesWey is committed to sharing results openly and using them to guide investment, service development, and day-to-day management.

Full survey results are available here: ThamesWey Housing 2025/26 Tenant Satisfaction Survey

At ThamesWey Housing, we work hard to deliver a high standard of service to all our residents, but when we fall short, we want to know about it. Your feedback helps us put things right quickly and improve the way we work.

What Counts as a Formal Complaint?

A formal complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction with our service that has not been resolved through normal day-to-day communication. If you are unhappy with the outcome of an informal conversation, or feel your concern has not been properly addressed, you can escalate it as a formal complaint.

How to Submit a Formal Complaint

All formal complaints must be submitted in writing so we can record and investigate them properly. Please email your complaint to: housing@thamesweygroup.co.uk

Our Formal Complaints Process

Once we receive your complaint, our Letting and Tenant Services Manager will review it. You can expect:

• Acknowledgement of your complaint within three working days.
• A full investigation in accordance with our internal procedures.
• A formal written response within 21 working days. If we need more time, we will let you know and confirm a revised response date.

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome, you may request an escalation by submitting your request in writing within 14 working days of receiving our initial response. Your complaint will then be reviewed by our Head of Assets, who will provide a final written response within 21 working days.

Independent Review – The Property Ombudsman

If you remain dissatisfied after our full in-house process, you can refer your complaint to The Property Ombudsman, an independent body offering free, impartial dispute resolution. We are registered under the name: Thameswey Housing Limited (Company No. 05437166).

Please note: The Property Ombudsman must be contacted within 12 months of receiving our final response.

Data Protection

All complaint information is managed sensitively and in full compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Your personal data will only be used to process and resolve your complaint.

Our Commitment to You

Every complaint is an opportunity to learn. We regularly review the issues raised with us to identify patterns and make improvements where needed. If something is not right, please tell us – we are here to listen, and we are committed to getting it right.