Renters' Rights Act 2025: What Every UK Landlord Must Do Before 31 May 2026
HouseData Team · 2026-03-25
The government has published the official Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 — and if you're a private landlord in England, you have a legal deadline to meet. Here's exactly what you need to do, and what happens if you don't.
What Is the Renters' Rights Act 2025?
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the most significant overhaul of England's private rented sector in a generation. From 1 May 2026, the rules governing tenancies, evictions, rent increases, and tenant rights will change fundamentally.
Whether you're a portfolio landlord, an accidental landlord, or you manage a single buy-to-let, these changes apply to you — and one of them comes with a hard compliance deadline of 31 May 2026.
Your Immediate Legal Obligation: The Information Sheet
On 20 March 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published the official Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026. This isn't optional reading — it's a document you are legally required to provide to your tenants.
You must give the Information Sheet if:
- The tenancy is an assured or assured shorthold tenancy (AST)
- The tenancy was created before 1 May 2026
- There is a wholly or partly written record of the tenancy terms (including any written tenancy agreement)
The government has been unambiguous about enforcement. This is not guidance you can decide to action later.
How to Deliver the Information Sheet Correctly
There are strict rules about how the document must be provided. Getting this wrong still counts as non-compliance.
You must either:
- Print a hard copy and post it or hand-deliver it to the tenant
- Send the exact PDF file as an email or text message attachment
- Send a link to the PDF (including a link to the GOV.UK page) — this is explicitly invalid
- Summarise the contents yourself or substitute another document
- Use an outdated version of the sheet
If you use a letting agent who manages the property on your behalf, your agent is responsible for delivering the Information Sheet, but you remain liable if they fail to do so. Confirm with your agent in writing that they have actioned this.
Who is exempt?
- Lodgers (the Act does not apply)
- Tenancies based entirely on a verbal agreement (separate obligations apply — search GOV.UK for 'Tenancy agreements: written information for your tenant')
- Social housing tenants (though social landlords letting non-social tenancies may need to comply)
The Bigger Picture: What Changes on 1 May 2026
Beyond the Information Sheet deadline, the Act introduces sweeping changes that will affect how you manage your properties from day one. Here is what landlords need to understand.
1. Fixed-Term Tenancies Are Abolished
From 1 May 2026, it will no longer be possible to create an assured tenancy with a fixed term or set end date. All existing ASTs will automatically convert to Assured Periodic Tenancies — rolling on a monthly basis (or shorter if the agreement specifies weekly or fortnightly). The term "Assured Shorthold Tenancy" ceases to exist in law.
Practically, this means your 6-month or 12-month fixed terms no longer provide the certainty they once did. Your property management strategy needs to adapt accordingly.
2. Section 21 'No-Fault' Evictions Are Ended
This is the headline change most landlords are aware of. Your landlord cannot serve a Section 21 notice on or after 1 May 2026, even if the tenancy agreement contains a clause allowing it.
From that date, you must have a valid legal reason — known as a ground for possession — to end a tenancy. Common grounds include:
- Significant rent arrears
- Antisocial behaviour by the tenant or their household
- Damage or failure to care for the property
- The landlord or a family member wishes to move into the property
- The landlord intends to sell the property
3. Rent Increases Must Follow a New Process
If your tenancy agreement contains a rent review clause, it cannot be used to increase rent after 1 May 2026. All rent increases must now follow the Section 13 process under the Housing Act 1988, which means:
- Rent can only be increased once per year
- You must give at least 2 months' written notice using Form 4A
- Any increase must not exceed open market rent
- Tenants can challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal
4. Tenants Have the Right to Keep Pets
From 1 May 2026, tenants have the legal right to request to keep a pet. You cannot unreasonably refuse. If you do refuse, you must do so in writing and give a reason. Tenants can challenge an unreasonable refusal in court.
This has practical implications for property condition and insurance. Review your landlord insurance policy to confirm it covers pet damage, and consider updating your approach to deposit protection to account for potential wear and tear from pets.
5. Tenant Notice to Quit
Under the new regime, tenants can end their tenancy at any point by giving at least 2 months' written notice, with the tenancy ending on a rent due date (or the day before). This replaces the previous structure where fixed terms constrained when a tenant could leave.
For landlords, this increases vacancy risk in the short term but also means tenants are no longer contractually trapped in a property they cannot afford or want to leave.
What About Student Lets?
If you let to full-time students, there is a specific ground for possession (Ground 4A) that allows you to regain possession at the end of the academic year. To use this ground, you must have given the tenant written notice that you may rely on it by 31 May 2026 in most cases. Note: the Information Sheet itself does not count as that written notice — you must issue it separately.
To evict at the end of the 2025/26 academic year, a notice seeking possession must be served between 1 May and 30 July 2026, giving at least 4 months' notice, with the tenancy ending between 1 June and 30 September.
Your Compliance Checklist Before 31 May 2026
Use this checklist to confirm you are meeting your legal obligations:
Information Sheet obligations:
- [ ] Download the official PDF from GOV.UK (dated March 2026)
- [ ] Identify all tenancies in scope (assured/AST, written terms, pre-1 May 2026)
- [ ] Deliver to every named tenant on each tenancy agreement
- [ ] Deliver by post, hand, or as an email/text attachment — not a link
- [ ] Confirm your letting agent has actioned delivery if they manage the property
- [ ] Keep a record that delivery was made (date, method, tenants served)
- [ ] Review all tenancy agreements for rent review clauses — plan to transition to Section 13 process
- [ ] Audit your portfolio for any planned possession actions — consider timelines carefully
- [ ] Check landlord insurance covers pet damage
- [ ] If you let to students, serve Ground 4A written notice before 31 May 2026
- [ ] Speak to your letting agent or solicitor about any tenancies where you may need to regain possession
What HouseData Can Help You With
At HouseData.uk, we help landlords, conveyancers, and property professionals understand the risk profile of their properties before issues become costly legal problems.
While the Renters' Rights Act governs tenancy relationships, it also shines a spotlight on the underlying condition and compliance status of properties themselves. Landlords who can demonstrate a property is well-maintained, properly certified, and free from outstanding risk flags are far better positioned when it comes to justifying possession grounds, responding to tribunal challenges, or defending against disrepair claims.
Our PRISM Property Risk Report aggregates EPC data, planning records, and environmental risk indicators into a single property intelligence report — giving landlords the documentary evidence base they need in an increasingly regulated market.
Run a free property risk check on your rental →
Key Dates Summary
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 20 March 2026 | Official Information Sheet published by MHCLG |
| 31 May 2026 | Deadline to deliver Information Sheet to tenants |
| 1 May 2026 | Renters' Rights Act comes into force; ASTs abolished; Section 21 ends |
| Ongoing | All rent increases must follow Section 13 process |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Information Sheet apply to new tenancies created after 1 May 2026? No. The obligation to provide this specific Information Sheet applies to existing tenancies created before 1 May 2026 that have a written record of terms. New tenancies created after 1 May 2026 will be Assured Periodic Tenancies from the outset and are governed differently.
I use a letting agent. Am I still responsible? Yes. While your agent must deliver the Information Sheet, you remain liable if they fail to. Confirm in writing that your agent has fulfilled this obligation.
My tenancy is entirely verbal. What do I do? You cannot provide the Information Sheet for a purely verbal tenancy. Instead, you are required to provide written information on key terms of the tenancy. Search GOV.UK for 'Tenancy agreements: written information for your tenant' for the relevant guidance.
Can I send a WhatsApp message with the PDF attached? The guidance specifies email or text message as valid electronic delivery methods, provided the PDF is sent as an attachment. Confirm your chosen method creates a clear audit trail.
What if I've already served a Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026? If a valid Section 21 notice was served before 1 May 2026, you may still be able to pursue possession through the courts under the previous rules, even after the Act comes into force.
This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. For complex tenancy situations, consult a qualified solicitor or housing law specialist.
Sources: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government — The Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026, published 20 March 2026.