If you own a rental property in Warrington, or you are thinking about buying one, it is worth understanding what has actually changed before you decide what to do next.

Here is a straightforward look at both sides.

The headline change is the abolition of Section 21, the so-called "no-fault" eviction. Previously, a landlord could ask a tenant to leave without having to give a reason. That is now gone. From May 2026, all tenancies in the private rented sector are periodic, meaning they run on an open-ended basis. There are no more fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies.

If you need your property back, you now have to rely on Section 8 grounds for possession, which require a legal reason. The Act has expanded those grounds to include new situations such as intending to sell the property, moving in yourself or a close family member, and needing to carry out major renovation works. However, these come with conditions attached and some require the landlord to have owned the property for at least 12 months before they can be used.

Rent increases are also now limited to once per year, with a minimum of two months' notice required, and tenants have the right to challenge an increase they consider excessive via a tribunal.

Further down the line, landlords will be required to register on a new Private Rented Sector database and join a mandatory Ombudsman scheme, both expected to be in place by around 2028. There is also a push towards energy efficiency: the government has signalled that rental properties will need to reach an EPC rating of C by 2030, though this is still subject to review.

Demand in Warrington is not going anywhere. Average monthly rents in Warrington rose from £680 in 2020 to £967 in 2025, a rise of 42%. That is a significant increase in income for landlords who have held properties over that period. Belvoir

Supply has also tightened considerably. Average monthly rental stock in the Warrington area fell from 711 properties in 2019 to 467 in 2023. Fewer rental properties chasing strong tenant demand is a straightforward market dynamic that works in a landlord's favour when it comes to void periods and rental income. Wbex

The new legislation, while adding complexity, does not make it impossible to recover a property when you have a genuine reason to do so. If you want to sell, move back in, or deal with a tenant who has built up serious arrears, legal routes exist. Many landlords who have been well advised and who choose tenants carefully will notice less change in day-to-day management than the headlines might suggest.

There is also an argument that some of the weaker landlords, those who relied on Section 21 as a shortcut rather than managing properly, are now leaving the market. That reduces competition and, in a high-demand area like Warrington, can make quality rental properties easier to let.

The loss of Section 21 is a genuine shift in risk. Even with the expanded Section 8 grounds, recovering a property from a problem tenant is now more likely to involve court action, which takes time and costs money. If a tenant stops paying rent, you need to show arrears of three months before the mandatory ground becomes available, and the arrears must still be at that level at the point of the hearing. Courts remain slow in many parts of the country.

The tax environment has also deteriorated over recent years. Higher-rate taxpayers can no longer deduct mortgage interest from rental income before calculating tax, which has squeezed net returns for those with buy-to-let mortgages. Capital Gains Tax on disposal has also become less favourable.

The EPC requirement is a cost that some landlords in Warrington will need to plan for. Nearly half of rental properties in Warrington are estimated to need upgrades to reach the required energy efficiency standard. That is a meaningful upfront investment for some landlords, particularly those with older stock. Hamlet Homes

The administrative burden has also grown. Registering on the landlord database, joining the Ombudsman scheme, keeping documentation in order, and staying on top of rule changes all take time and, if you use a letting agent, money.

That depends on your position. If you own a Warrington rental property outright or with a modest mortgage, and you have good tenants in place, the picture remains reasonably healthy. Rents are strong, demand is solid, and the new rules, while more demanding, are manageable with proper preparation.

If you are considering entering the market from scratch with a heavily mortgaged buy-to-let, the sums are tighter and the risk profile has changed. It is not necessarily a bad decision, but it requires more careful thought than it did five years ago.

What has not changed is the fundamental dynamic: people need somewhere to live in Warrington, there are fewer rental homes than there were, and well-managed properties in good areas continue to attract tenants quickly.

The landlords who will find the next few years most difficult are those who were not managing their properties properly to begin with. For anyone running things professionally, the new framework is more work, but it is not the end of the road.

If you are weighing up your options as a landlord in WA3, we are happy to have a conversation. No obligation, just an honest view of what the market looks like from where we sit.