The new Renters’ Rights Information Sheet explained for landlords
The Government has released the official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet, and landlords in England need to know whether it applies to them. If it does, it must be served correctly, to the right tenants, and by the deadline. Get that wrong and it could lead to a fine.
What Landlords Need To Know About The New Official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet
The official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 has been published ahead of the wider reforms taking effect on 1 May 2026. Its purpose is to explain the new rules to tenants. For landlords this is now a compliance requirement, not something optional.
What is it?
It is the Government’s official document explaining the Renters’ Rights Act changes to tenants. Landlords must use the exact GOV.UK PDF. That means you should not rewrite it, shorten it, or just send a link and assume that is enough. The safest approach is to download the official PDF and serve that exact document.
Which tenancies does it apply to?
It applies to assured or assured shorthold tenancies created before 1 May 2026 where there is a wholly or partly written record of the terms, including a written tenancy agreement.
There are two main exceptions.
Lodgers do not need to be given the Information Sheet.
If the tenancy was agreed verbally before 1 May 2026 and there is no written record of the terms, the landlord should not give the Information Sheet. Instead, they must provide written information setting out the key terms of the tenancy.
When does it need to be served?
For tenancies that fall within these rules, the deadline is 31 May 2026. The reforms begin on 1 May 2026, so landlords have a short window to make sure this is done properly.
How does it need to be served?
There are strict rules on how the Information Sheet must be served.
The Information Sheet is only valid if it is the official version downloaded from GOV.UK and it must be shared in full, without alteration.
Acceptable methods include:
- Providing a printed copy in person or by post
- Sending the PDF as an attachment via email or text message
Importantly, sending a link alone is not compliant. A copy must also be given to every tenant named on the tenancy agreement, not just one of them.
What happens if landlords do not comply?
Landlords who fail to give the Information Sheet by 31 May 2026 could face a fine of up to £7,000.
What should landlords do now?
Review which of your tenancies are existing assured or assured shorthold tenancies with written terms created before 1 May 2026.
Separate written tenancies from verbal ones, because verbal tenancies need written tenancy information instead of the Information Sheet.
Download the official GOV.UK PDF and serve it correctly to every named tenant.
Keep evidence of when and how it was served. The Government guidance sets out what must be given and how, and from a practical point of view landlords should keep a clear record in case there is ever a dispute. This is a practical compliance recommendation based on the service requirements in the guidance.
Final thought
This is really a deadline driven compliance task for existing written tenancies created before 1 May 2026. For new tenancies from 1 May 2026 onwards, landlords will instead need to provide written tenancy information before the tenancy is agreed.
So the message is simple. Work out whether the rules apply to your tenancy, serve the exact Government PDF correctly, make sure every named tenant receives it, and do it before 31 May 2026. That is the cleanest way to avoid an unnecessary problem.
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