With more compliance deadlines ahead, brokers are now the go-to source for regulatory guidance, research finds
Most UK landlords say they understand the Renters' Rights Act — yet virtually the same proportion admit they are still worried about falling foul of it, pointing to a sustained advisory role for brokers as further compliance deadlines loom in 2026 and 2028, according to new research from Aviva.
The survey of more than 500 UK landlords and property-sector decision-makers found insurance providers and brokers are the most common source of information on regulatory change, cited by 31% of respondents, with research conducted between May 21 and June 1, 2026, as landlords adapted to the Renters' Rights Act.
Aviva's data shows 95% of landlords say they are confident in their understanding of the rules, yet 96% remain concerned about non-compliance, and 94% say they have already changed how they run their property business in response.
The Act, described by the National Residential Landlords Association as the most significant overhaul of private rented sector legislation in more than 30 years, banned Section 21 "no-fault" evictions, replaced fixed-term tenancies with rolling periodic contracts, restricted rent increases to once yearly via a Section 13 notice, capped advance rent requests at one month, and gave tenants a contractual right to request a pet.
Where the practical gaps sit
Despite high awareness, landlords report specific struggles: 40% say identifying which regulations apply to their business is a top difficulty, 38% cite keeping up with changes, and 35% point to mitigating penalty or enforcement risk.
Asked what support would help most, 42% want regular regulatory updates, 41% want insurance products bundled with legal and regulatory support, and 41% want simpler regulatory guidance.
"Brokers are often the first port of call for landlords when regulations change, highlighting the vital role they play beyond simply arranging insurance," said Rebecca Gambrell, managing director, SME Digital at Aviva. "As landlords adapt to evolving requirements, brokers have a significant opportunity to deepen client relationships by helping them understand the impact on their businesses, identify emerging risks and secure the right protection and support."
More change is still coming
The compliance burden is not finished. A private rented sector database is due to roll out regionally from autumn 2026, requiring landlords to register themselves, their properties and compliance information, and a mandatory landlord ombudsman scheme follows in 2028, according to NRLA guidance. Separately, an NRLA tracking survey found landlords roughly evenly split between preparing to exit the market and waiting to see how the legislation settles, with 24% indicating plans to leave because of the reforms.
This sits within a wider pattern of brokers absorbing regulatory-adviser functions beyond core underwriting: Aviva's own Broker Barometer has separately shown broker confidence near record highs, with 64% of brokers naming client retention as their main growth route for 2026, ahead of new business at 59% — a reversal from 2025, when 70% of brokers named new business as a primary growth driver.
Aviva's Property Owners proposition, covering residential and commercial landlords with up to 20 properties, includes access to Aviva BusinessLaw legal and business guidance, positioning the insurer to compete directly on the legal-support gap landlords identified.
The FCA's targeted support regime — a framework sitting between generic guidance and full regulated advice, finalised February — has already drawn Aviva and Legal & General as early adopters for pension customers, illustrating a broader regulatory push toward scalable, lower-cost advice models that could eventually extend to landlord compliance support. Separately, NRLA guidance notes the Renters' Rights Act applies mainly to England, with Wales gaining related anti-discrimination terms in occupation contracts from 1 June 2026.
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