With phase 1 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 commencing on 1 May 2026, the government has now published the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 together with accompanying guidance.
This section introduces the information sheet and explains its role in helping existing tenants understand the major changes brought in by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. It highlights what the sheet covers, who must receive it, and how landlords and agents are required to issue it ahead of the new rules coming into force.
The purpose of the information sheet is to notify existing tenants of the changes implemented by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and explain how the new rules may affect their current tenancy. Whilst the sheet itself states that the changes only affect assured or assured shorthold tenants in the private rented sector, the guidance concludes with the following statement "You may need to provide this Information Sheet if you are a social landlord letting a non-social tenancy".
You can view the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 here and accompanying guidance here.
The sheet is short, only four pages, and sets out only the key changes to the legislation with a particular focus on what has been abolished including fixed terms, contractual rent review clauses, no-fault evictions (section 21 procedure) and unreasonable refusals for pets. Whilst the sheet lacks information on the new and amended grounds for possession, the government has previously published comprehensive guidance on this aspect of the new legislation which can be accessed here.
The guidance states that landlords and agents (see below) must provide all existing tenants with an information sheet by 31 May 2026 if the tenancy:
If the tenancy is based entirely on a verbal agreement that was made before 1 May 2026, then the landlord is expected to provide the written information about the key terms of the tenancy instead. Details of this requirement are set out in government guidance which can be accessed here.
Crucially the latest guidance states that if you're a landlord and have a letting agent who manages the property on your behalf, then the agent must also provide the sheet to the tenant, even if the landlord has already provided a copy.
Landlords must provide this information sheet by 31 May 2026, or be fined up to £7,000.
The requirements for providing a copy of the information sheet to the tenant(s) are quite specific as set out below:
As with any formal tenancy documentation, we would recommend that the landlord and agent keeps copies of all correspondence evidencing that they have provided their tenants with the information sheet in accordance with the requirements prescribed by the guidance.
The Renters’ Rights Act introduces wholesale changes affecting both the private and social housing sectors. As noted above, the guidance states that a landlord may need to provide the information sheet if they are a social landlord letting a non-social tenancy. We cannot currently identify any likely scenario in which this requirement might arise but expect that it will nonetheless prompt some speculation which we hope will be resolved by further government guidance in due course.
The legislation does not require a change or re-issue of any existing written tenancy agreements, although it is expected that many landlords/letting agents will be looking to reissue new agreements in any event to prevent uncertain terms and to regularise their portfolios.
Although the information sheet is the final document scheduled for release before the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 comes into force, further guidance is expected once the new legislation begins to undergo judicial stress-testing and its practical effects become clearer.
For more information and commentary on the changes coming in under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, please visit our spotlight hub or contact our property litigation team.
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