Knowledge Notes

UK Knowledge Collection | Subscription contract regime, rent review in commercial leases, and product safety

Published on 24th April 2026

Welcome to this week's Knowledge Collection

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Subscription contract regime, rent review in commercial leases, and product safety

The UK government has published its response to the consultation it launched in November 2024 on implementing the new subscription contracts regime under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. While the unfair commercial practices provisions under the Act have been effective since April 2025, the subscription contracts regime will not come into effect until spring 2027. The response provides more detail as to how the regime will work, but questions remain on notices, online exit mechanisms and mixed contracts. Further guidance is expected.

A ban on upwards only rent reviews in commercial leases is likely to be enacted in the coming months, although it remains unclear when it will come into force. Our Insight looks at the implications for landlords and the impact on the market once two different tiers of lease start operating simultaneously.

The government is running three consultations on the UK product safety regime, to create a new product safety framework, address enforcement, and update fire safety regulations. The consultations close on 23 June. Our Insight considers how the proposed changes could affect businesses throughout the product supply chain and how they can prepare.


Recent Insights

How speed of response and transparency can limit the impact of a UK tax error

Voluntary disclosure of a tax error to HMRC can sharply reduce penalties and the risk of wider investigation.
Read more >

UK clinical trials regulation undergoes its biggest reform in 20 years

A new framework for UK clinical trials regulation takes effect on 28 April. The changes are intended to streamline safety reporting processes without compromising participant safety.
Read more >

UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act subscription contracts regime to take shape by 2027

A government consultation response clarifies aspects of the regime including cooling-off rights, refunds and exit rules.
Read more >

Ban on upwards only rent reviews in England and Wales: what do landlords need to know?

The ban on upwards only rent reviews is likely to give rise to a shift in rent structures in commercial leases in England and Wales.
Read more >

UK government to overhaul the product safety regulatory framework

Three linked consultations under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 set out wide-ranging proposals affecting manufacturers, importers, distributors and online marketplaces.
Read more >


Events

Eating Compliance for Breakfast | Class actions: the new litigation risk landscape

30 April, 09:00-09:30
In the last of our spring series of webinars on regulatory and legal developments affecting business, our experts discuss the growing risk arising from class actions.
Register now >

The future of IP

A series of webinars exploring the latest trends and cases in the world of intellectual property.
28 April, 16:00-16:45: Getty, GEMA and generative models
12 May, 16:00-16:45: Trade mark trends
19 May, 16:00-16:45: Trade secret protection: a pan-European perspective
Register now >

Power Play Live: resolving disputes in renewable energy projects

29 April, 15:00-17:00, London
How to resolve disputes and claims that may arise from the development of a renewable energy project.
Register now >

Digital Regulation Download: the new cyber security rulebook

11 May, 14:00-15:00
How the new cyber security regulations in Europe fit together, and what this means in practice, including the NIS2 Directive, the EU Cyber Resilience Act, the UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill and the UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act.
Register now >

London International Disputes Week 2026

Osborne Clarke's disputes team is supporting the following events at this year's global gathering of international disputes experts.
3 June, 09:00-18:30: The Arbitral Institutions Congress
3 June, 09:00-10:30: Broken contracts, broken trust: managing termination risk in international construction projects
3 June, 09:00-10:30: Crypto disputes without borders: global insights from the CFAAR Network
3 June, 11:30-13:00: International enforcement of judgments: recent developments, difficult issues and innovative strategies
3 June, 16:30-18:00: Bridging steppes and standards: Kazakhstan’s evolving dispute landscape
4 June, 09:00-10:30: Getting value from investigations: understanding essential steps and how is technology creating tangible efficiencies?
5 June, 11:30-13:00: Who speaks for arbitration: arbitration in the media and public discourse
Register now

* This article is current as of the date of its publication and does not necessarily reflect the present state of the law or relevant regulation.

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