New rule means '£1,800 bill' for renters buying first home

Experts have called it an expensive parting gift10:20, 29 Aug 2026Experts have warned of a "headache" for first-time buyers as they are hit with a hidden bill of at least £1,800 under new rules.‌Renters hoping to escape the rental market have been handed an expensive parting gift under the Renters’ Rights Act, experts said. Tenants in England must give their landlord at least two months’ written notice to end a tenancy, double the single month most renters gave before.‌The change came into force on May 1, 2026, and four months on, brokers say its side-effect is starting to bite. Mortgage advisers report that first-time buyers are now reaching completion day only to discover they must keep paying rent, council tax, energy and water on a home they have already left.‌That extra month of outgo