Described as the biggest shake-up to renting in England for more than 30 years, a new law giving tenants more rights was formally approved at the end of October.
The government still needs to confirm how - and when - each of the changes will come into force. The new rules will affect more than 11 million people.
Properties will be rented on a "periodic" or rolling basis, rather than under a fixed 12 or 24-month contract. That means that tenants who wish to remain can do so, which the government says will provide greater security.
Tenants who want to leave can give two months' notice, rather than being tied in for a year or longer. The government says this will end "the injustice of tenants being trapped paying rent for substandard properties".
The Renters' Reform Coalition - which includes Shelter, Generation Rent and Citizens Advice - welcomed the changes, calling them a "generational upgrade to renters' rights".
