Landlord and Tenant Act 1954

No. The change was enacted on 29 April 2026, but it was not yet in force on 10 August 2026.

Section 108 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 requires commencement regulations for Part 5. Until that happens, the new Part 5 rent review rules do not apply.

Schedule 37 of the 2026 Act inserts new Schedules 7A and 7B into the 1954 Act. The core future rule applies to certain terms where the lease calculation would make the new passing rent higher than a reference amount. When the rule applies, the terms have no effect to that extent and the new passing rent is set at the reference amount.

The reference amount is the benchmark produced by the review, such as an index-linked figure, market rent, another actual or notional rent figure, or turnover. The legal question is what the formula does, not whether the clause carries an 'upward-only' label.

Yes. Schedule 7A also gives tenants written-notice routes to trigger certain reviews or landlord actions where the lease would otherwise leave that step only with the landlord.

Schedule 7B is separate and narrower. It deals with certain renewal arrangements entered on or after 17 March 2026 where the initial rent is not known and the statutory conditions are met. It is not a general rule for every renewal.

Yes. Whether a tenancy is protected by the 1954 Act or has been validly contracted out remains central to renewal rights and negotiation strategy.

The rent review changes sit within the existing business tenancy framework rather than replacing it. Review tenancy status, the renewal route and the rent wording as one transaction.