UK Tenancy Agreement Templates & Landlord Compliance Documents, Renters' Rights Act 2025, in force 2026

No. We sell self-help templates to private landlords. We are not a firm of solicitors, not a letting agent, and not an insurance provider. Template preparation is not a reserved legal activity under the Legal Services Act 2007.

Phase 1 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into force in England on 1 May 2026. Assured Shorthold Tenancies (including Section 21) were abolished and replaced by periodic Assured Tenancies. English ASTs in existence on 30 April 2026 converted automatically on 1 May 2026, subject to the Act's transitional provisions and excluded categories (resident landlords, lets to companies, certain student lets, holiday lets, long leases over 7 years, supported accommodation). Our Transition Pack (LS-E-130) walks you through what this means for your portfolio.

No. Section 21 was permanently abolished in England on 1 May 2026. The only way to recover possession is a Section 8 notice citing a statutory ground, such as rent arrears (Ground 8), landlord sale (Ground 1A), or anti-social behaviour (Ground 14). LetSafe UK's Section 8 Notice Pack covers every current ground, with guidance on which to use.

A periodic tenancy has no fixed end date, it rolls from one rental period to the next until either party brings it to an end using the correct statutory notice. The rules differ by jurisdiction.

England: since 1 May 2026, all new private tenancies must be Periodic Assured Tenancies (PATs). Fixed-term ASTs can no longer be granted for new lettings, and existing ASTs converted automatically on 1 May 2026 subject to the Act's exclusions.

Wales: a fixed-term standard contract does not automatically roll into a periodic standard contract in every case. A periodic contract is only created if the contract-holder remains in occupation at the end of the fixed term without a new contract being agreed. A landlord wanting to end a fixed term at its expiry must serve the prescribed notice during the fixed term (Form RHW25 for new contracts, RHW38 for converted contracts), doing nothing is not a strategy in Wales.

Scotland: Private Residential Tenancies under the 2016 Act are open-ended from day one, there are no fixed terms.

Northern Ireland: private tenancies under the Private Tenancies (NI) Act 2022 follow their own notice regime; fixed terms remain available.

LetSafe UK ships the correct tenancy template for each jurisdiction, use the chooser in the header.

In England, every new tenancy must comply with the current regime. Existing ASTs converted automatically to periodic assured tenancies on 1 May 2026, and the new notice rules now apply to them. We recommend updating any tenancy-agreement templates to the LS-E-001 Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement for all new grants.

Only the anti-discrimination provisions. Wales operates under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. The RRA 2025 extended its anti-discrimination provisions to Wales on 1 June 2026 by inserting sections 54A and 54B into the 2016 Act, with corresponding fundamental terms 14A and 14B added to standard occupation contracts. The rest of the RRA, periodic Assured Tenancies, abolition of Section 21, new Section 8 grounds, is England-only.

A fixed-term standard contract commits both parties to a minimum term (commonly six or twelve months). A periodic standard contract has no end date and rolls from one rental period to the next. The two contract types have materially different notice rules, particularly around the Section 173 no-fault notice.

Only if the contract-holder remains in occupation and no new fixed-term contract is agreed. If both parties agree a new fixed term, a further fixed-term contract is granted instead. A landlord wanting the contract to end at expiry must serve notice during the fixed term using the correct prescribed form, RHW25 for new contracts post-1 December 2022, or RHW38 for converted contracts. Failing to act before expiry means the contract continues as periodic and the landlord is then locked into the six-month Section 173 notice regime.

For a new periodic standard contract (started on or after 1 December 2022), the minimum is six months and the notice cannot be served within the first six months of occupation. This means a contract-holder has a minimum of twelve months' security from the start of a new contract. For converted contracts, transitional rules applied two-month notice periods until 31 May 2023, after which the six-month rule applies to converted periodic contracts. Section 173 cannot be used during a fixed term unless a valid landlord break clause exists (and break clauses are only permitted on fixed terms of more than two years, may not be activated before month 18, and still require six months' notice).

Any tenancy in existence on 1 December 2022 that automatically converted to an occupation contract on that date. Periodic tenancies converted to periodic standard contracts; fixed-term tenancies converted to fixed-term standard contracts with the original end date preserved. Converted contracts have special transitional rules, including the use of Form RHW38 for fixed-term notice and different timing for Section 173.

Yes. Each jurisdiction has its own catalogue because the law is materially different. Use the chooser in the header to switch. Our cross-jurisdiction Four Nations Landlord Bundle (LS-U-200) bundles the starter pack for all four regimes at one price.

Buy once, download forever. If we revise a template in response to a regulation change (for example, a new SI amending the prescribed tenancy clauses), your account picks up the revised file automatically. You'll get an email when we push a material update.

It depends on the Section 8 ground you use. Under the current rules, most grounds require four months' notice, up from the pre-Act minimums. Ground 8 (rent arrears) requires four weeks. Ground 7A (serious ASB) has no minimum. Ground 7B (no right to rent) requires two weeks. Always check the specific ground, using the wrong notice period invalidates your notice.

The Private Landlord Database (PLD) is a mandatory register of English private landlords and let properties, created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. It did not go live on 1 May 2026 and registration is not yet mandatory; it is expected to roll out by region from late 2026. When your region goes live, you must register or face penalties of up to £40,000 and lose the right to serve possession notices until you comply.

The main grounds are: Ground 8 (three months' rent arrears, mandatory), Ground 1A (landlord intends to sell, mandatory, four months' notice, tenancy must be 12+ months old), Ground 1 (landlord or family needs the property, mandatory, four months' notice), and Ground 14 (nuisance or anti-social behaviour, discretionary, no minimum notice). Use the free Section 8 ground picker tool on this site to select the right ground for your situation.

Yes, this is a statutory obligation. On every new letting in England, the government-prescribed Information Sheet must be served before or at the start of the tenancy. The one-off deadline to serve existing tenants (31 May 2026) has passed. Failure is a civil offence with a civil penalty of up to £7,000. The Information Sheet must be served to each named tenant individually.