Renters' Rights Training: Awareness for Social Housing

Private landlords have been working under the Renters' Rights Act since 1st May 2026, but the timeline for social housing is different. Assured tenancies provided by PRPs move across in October 2027, and until then PRPs must keep using the rules and procedures that were in place before 1st May 2026. Getting the timing wrong in either direction carries risk, from issuing the wrong notices too early to being unprepared when the changes go live.

This course sets out the key changes for PRPs: the move from fixed-term to periodic 'rolling' tenancies, the government information sheet tenants must receive, the abolition of Section 21 'no-fault' evictions, and changes to grounds for possession and notice periods. It explains how Section 13A rent increases sit alongside existing rent review clauses. It also covers the five criteria of the updated Decent Homes Standard and the damp and mould timescales under Awaab's Law, which has applied to social housing since 27th October 2025.

Much of the coverage of the Act has focused on private renting, and not all of it applies to social housing. A myth-buster section separates out the parts that don't, such as pet requests, the new landlord database and the new Landlord Ombudsman, so staff give tenants accurate advice and work within the right regulatory framework.

The course applies to social housing in England and assumes no previous knowledge of the Act. It covers a social housing provider's obligations under the Renters' Rights Act only, not every legal duty a provider has.

Who should take this course?

This course is for anyone working for a PRP whose role involves tenancies, rent, possession or the condition of homes, including:

• Housing and tenancy officers
• Lettings and allocations staff
• Income, rent and arrears teams
• Repairs, asset management and property compliance teams
• Customer service and complaints staff
• Staff working in supported housing and temporary accommodation
• Team leaders, managers and policy leads responsible for tenancy agreements and procedures

It's suitable for staff in:

• Housing associations and other private registered providers of social housing in England
• Providers of social rent, affordable rent and intermediate rent homes
• Providers of specialised supported housing and temporary accommodation
• Organisations offering rent-to-buy products

Local authority secure and flexible tenancies, licences to occupy and shared ownership are not affected by these changes.

What does this training cover?

• Which social housing tenancies the Renters' Rights Act applies to, and which it doesn't
• The move from fixed-term to periodic 'rolling' assured tenancies, and the information sheet PRPs must provide
• Rent increases under Section 13A, and how rent review clauses continue to apply
• The abolition of Section 21 'no-fault' evictions, and changes to grounds for possession and notice periods
• The five criteria of the updated Decent Homes Standard
• Awaab's Law and the timescales for investigating and dealing with damp and mould
• Common misconceptions about which parts of the Act apply to social housing

Renters' Rights for Social Housing Course Certificate

After completing this course, learners will be able to download and print a Virtual College certificate, which they can keep for their records.

At the end of this Renters' Rights training course, you will need to complete a test that consists of five multiple choice questions. Learners are required to achieve a 80% pass mark, and - if necessary - may attempt the test six times at no extra cost. If learners do not achieve the pass mark, further attempts may be given by contacting our support team.

Duration

This course takes around 30 minutes to complete. As it's all online, you can complete it at your own pace, in stages, with your progress recorded throughout and as long as you like spent on each section.

Entry requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for this Renters' Rights training course.