The Government’s Renters’ Rights Bill (the successor to the Renters’ Reform Bill) is helping to reshape the private rental sector in England.
The main changes it has introduced include longer notice periods, removing Section 21, and replacing fixed terms with open-ended periodic tenancies.
While these changes are significant, we’re taking a pragmatic, fact-based approach, and advising client landlords to simply reflect and prepare.
Below, we answer the questions we’ve been asked most often by our Cheltenham landlords and investors.
We’re not selling our portfolios, nor are we advising clients to. The fundamentals of the Cheltenham and Cotswolds rental market remain strong. It’s important to remember the area has a limited supply of housing while offering good local employment opportunities, excellent schools, and a great quality of life.
With this in mind, we’re reviewing every property individually, considering its location, EPC rating, maintenance costs, and tenant profile.
Our focus is on holding and improving property portfolios, not exiting the market. Landlords who stay invested and upgrade strategically are still seeing solid yields and long-term capital growth.
The vast majority of landlords are holding on to their rental properties.
A few smaller, or accidental landlords have chosen to reduce their exposure, mainly where their properties require costly upgrades or sit in locations where demand for rental properties is lower.
However, most professional landlords are taking the same line as us: retain, refurbish, maintain, and future-proof their property portfolio.
Cheltenham’s high demand and limited new-build pipeline continues to make buy-to-let ownership a viable long-term asset.
Yes of course! However, the process takes a bit longer.
You can still sell with vacant possession using the correct legal grounds, or you can sell with the tenants in situ if you prefer to avoid delay.
Many Cheltenham investors continue to purchase tenanted properties for yield, so selling your property with a sitting tenant can remain a practical option.
Under the Renters’ Rights Bill, the current Section 21 “no-fault” notice is abolished. Instead, as a landlord, you must use a valid ground under Section 8, for example, Ground 1A: intention to sell.
Key points:
Planning ahead is essential. If you intend to sell in 2026–27, build in longer lead times and keep documentation clear.
Yes, just remember the process has stricter protocols and is more structured.
You can regain possession for:
However:
This means you need to plan ahead, based on a 12 month turnaround rather than 2–3 months as before.
Tenants will be required to give two months’ notice to leave their tenancy.
They can do so at any time, as all new tenancies will be rolling.
This makes tenancy turnover more flexible and slightly less predictable, so landlords should budget for potential short gaps between tenancies.
At Morgan Associates, our advice is to:
We’ve managed thousands of Cheltenham tenancies since 1965, through a wide range of economic cycles and legislative changes. This is significant reform, but certainly not unmanageable.
Our directors, like many of our long-term landlords, are holding onto their properties, keeping standards high, and adapting processes for the new rules.
Our stance is clear: don’t sell out of fear; plan with foresight.
If you’d like advice on how the Renters’ Rights Bill may affect your portfolio, or want a one-to-one review of your holdings and exit strategy, contact our expert team: 01242 514285
Further Reading:
Why Appoint a Lettings Agency to Manage Your Buy-to-Let Property?
Renters Reform Bill: What Every Landlord Should Know from a Letting Agent in Cheltenham
Should You Rent Out Property Personally or Through a Limited Company?
