Renter’s Rights Act – new Information Sheet shared by the Government and need for Written Terms in verbal tenancies

The Government has now published the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026. This sheet must be provided to tenants by their landlord or their landlord’s agent by no later than 31 May 2026. 

The sheet has been produced by the Government to explain to tenants how their tenancy may be affected by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (‘RRA 2025’). 

What needs to be done? 

If you are a landlord and have a letting agent who manages the property on your behalf, then the agent must provide the Information Sheet to the tenant, even if you as landlord have also provided it.
You must give this Information Sheet if the tenancy:

• was created before 1 May 2026
• is an assured or assured shorthold tenancy
• has a wholly or partly written record of terms (including a written tenancy agreement)

The above must be done no later than 31 May 2026 or the landlord and/or their agent could be liable for a fine of up to £7,000. 

Please note this sheet does not need to be given to lodgers but a copy must be given to every tenant named on the tenancy agreement. Social landlords letting a non-social tenancy may need to provide this Information Sheet. 

How to serve the Information Sheet on tenants

First and foremost, check the service provisions within the existing tenancy and serve this way as a belts and braces approach, but Government guidance says you can –

• Print a hard copy and send via post (we recommend sending by recorded post) or give by hand. It is important to retain proof of delivery and take a time stamped photo if delivering by hand
• Send the PDF itself electronically as an attachment, for example to an email or text message
• As a belts and braces approach, we recommend sending by post and then also sending one other way, for example by hand delivery or sending the PDF via email.

Do not try and serve via email or text with just a link to the PDF Information Sheet as this will not be valid and you will face a fine. 

It is important to note that the RRA does not require landlords or their agents to change or re-issue any existing written tenancy agreements.

CLICK HERE for the Information Sheet. This sheet is only valid when downloaded from the linked page of the Government website, so it is always important to only send the official document. 

Verbal tenancies 

If currently there is only a verbal agreement in place, which was agreed prior to 1 May 2026, then the Information Sheet cannot be provided. Instead, the landlord or their agent must provide certain written information about the terms of tenancy from 1 May 2026.

If a landlord does not do this the tenant could complain to the local council, and the landlord could receive a fine of up to £7,000. 

Landlords will need to give this information when they create a new tenancy on or after 1 May 2026. You will need to do this before either landlord or tenant signs a tenancy agreement or otherwise agree the tenancy.  

You may include this information in a written tenancy agreement, but you can give it separately.  

See the list of information that you will need to include, which was published on 20 March 2026, on the Government website here.

What to do if you already rent out a property to tenants

There will be no need for landlords to provide this information to an existing tenant if (1) the tenancy agreement was signed before 1 May 2026 or (2) there is a written record of the agreement between you and your tenant (there is a written tenancy agreement).

Instead, a landlord and/or their agent need to give the tenants the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 as referenced above.  

The Government website allows you to sign up to receive an email alert when new guidance is published, which we recommend all landlords and agents do to ensure compliance. See here.