International Women’s Day - 20 Year Olds’ Perspective
On International Women’s Day we asked three women in their 20s for their perspectives of what being a woman in 2026 is like.
I love being a woman in 2026. I have grown up surrounded by conversations about equality, confidence, and opportunity my whole life. My parents and teachers always encouraged me to believe I could pursue any career and challenge any outdated expectations that come my way.
In 2026, I feel fortunate to live in a time where more opportunities are becoming increasingly available to me and other women. Female role models are more visible than ever, representing women in business, sport, global politics, and more.
New Rules - Section 8 Grounds 1 and 1A
The reliance on these 2 Mandatory Grounds under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 have raised significant questions throughout the private rented sector.
Comments published by the national press, trade press and those who do not understand the intricacies and detail are far from helpful.
Landlords must obtain legal advice before going down this route, ensuring the time-frames are adhered to and the restrictions are not breached.
The government has published further guidance on the rules that will govern the service of Section 8 under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
The Importance of 1st May 2026
When the Renters’ Rights Act received Royal Assent, the key point of discussion was when Secondary Legislation would be implemented - June 2026 was a clear favourite, however, civil servants opted for 1st May 2026. Whilst it is too late to change anything now, May is one of the shortest months in the calendar.
The Renters’ Rights Act has put in place some significant time frames for landlords and letting agents when Time will be of the Essence. The government will publish the Information Sheet and the Written Statement of Terms in March 2026 which landlords must not only familiarise themselves with, but also adhere to some strict time frames. From the 1st May 2026 landlords must serve the Information Sheet on all existing tenants and guarantors. The deadline to ensure they have complied is 31st May 2026, however, May is a very short month. There are 31 calendar days, 5 weekends totalling 10 weekend days.
A Request for Landlords
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is preparing to launch the second pilot of the new Private Rented Sector (PRS) database and is seeking support to recruit landlords to test the system during its private beta phase.
The PRS Database team would be grateful if landlords would take part as their participation will help test how the database performs in practice and provide valuable feedback on what works well and where improvements may be needed.