Information Sheet Serving Guide 2026: What Every Landlord in England Must Do Before 31 May

The Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 is an official government document produced by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. It explains the rights that tenants now have under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, including the abolition of Section 21 no-fault evictions from 1 May 2026, the new Section 8 possession process, rent increase procedures, and pet request rights. Landlords must provide the exact official PDF — a paraphrase, letter, or summary from another source does not meet the legal requirement.

1. What Is the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026?

The Information Sheet is published on gov.uk by the UK government. It covers:

• The abolition of Section 21 no-fault evictions from 1 May 2026
• How a landlord can now end a tenancy under Section 8 using Form 3A
• New rules on rent increases (Form 4A / Section 13 procedure only)
• The right to request a pet in the rented property
• Protection from retaliatory evictions and discrimination

2. Who Must Serve the Information Sheet — and By When?

The obligation applies to private landlords in England who have a written tenancy agreement entered into before 1 May 2026, and to letting agents who manage properties on behalf of landlords — they must serve it even if the landlord has already done so.

The statutory deadline is 31 May 2026. This is a legal obligation under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 3 — not an advisory date. Local authorities are the enforcement body and can issue a civil penalty notice after this date.

For any new tenancy starting on or after 1 May 2026, the Information Sheet should be served as part of the pre-tenancy documentation pack before the tenancy begins, following the same rules as the How to Rent guide.

3. How to Serve the Information Sheet Correctly

There are three valid methods of service. All require the actual PDF to be delivered — not a hyperlink.

Method A: Email (most common)

1. Download the official PDF from gov.uk.
2. Attach the PDF to an email — do not paste in a link or URL.
3. Send to each adult tenant's confirmed email address.
4. Keep the sent-item in your email client as evidence of service.

Method B: Post

1. Print the official PDF.
2. Send by first class post to the tenant's address (the let property or a last known address).
3. Obtain and keep a Certificate of Posting or tracked postage receipt.

Method C: Hand delivery

1. Print the official PDF.
2. Deliver in person to the tenant.
3. Ask the tenant to sign and date a receipt confirming they received it.

Every adult tenant named on the tenancy agreement must receive their own copy. If you have two tenants named on a joint tenancy, you must serve each one individually. Sending to one tenant does not discharge the obligation for the other.

4. What Happens If You Miss the 31 May 2026 Deadline?

Risk 1: Civil penalty up to £7,000

Local authorities can issue a civil penalty notice to any landlord who has not served the Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. The maximum penalty is £7,000 per tenancy. If you have five tenancies and have not served the document in any of them, the maximum exposure is £35,000. Unlike a criminal prosecution, there is no court hearing required — the local authority issues the notice directly. You have the right to appeal, but the burden is on you to demonstrate service took place.

Risk 2: Invalidity of Ground 1 and Ground 1A possession notices

If you ever need to serve a Section 8 notice using Ground 1 (you or a close family member intend to live in the property) or Ground 1A (you intend to sell the property), the notice will be legally invalid if you did not first serve the Information Sheet.

• Your possession claim fails at the first court hearing.
• You must serve the Information Sheet, wait the required notice period, then re-serve the Section 8 notice from scratch.
• If the tenant refuses to leave voluntarily, you face a delay of months before any court hearing can proceed.

Ground 8 (rent arrears) and other Section 8 grounds are not affected — but Grounds 1 and 1A are the most commonly needed grounds for landlords who want to sell or move back in.

5. Get Everything You Need in One Pack

LetSafe UK's Information Sheet Serving Pack (LS-E-020, £14.99) contains everything required to serve correctly and document your compliance:

• The official government Information Sheet PDF (ready to attach and send)
• A serving checklist — one line per tenant, tick when done
• A proof-of-service template — records method, date, and tenant name; printable for your tenancy file
• A deadline tracker — know exactly where you stand across multiple properties

Additional Questions

Does the obligation apply to HMOs? Yes. HMOs with written assured tenancies are covered. Each named tenant must receive their own copy.

I manage for multiple landlords. Do I serve it for every property? Yes. Letting agents have an independent obligation to ensure the Information Sheet is served for every managed property, separate from the landlord's own obligation.

I told my tenant verbally about the new rules. Does that count? No. The legal requirement is to deliver the official government PDF. A verbal explanation or a link to a news article does not satisfy the obligation.

What if the tenant refuses to acknowledge receipt? You are not required to obtain acknowledgement — only to effect delivery by a valid method. Keep your email sent-item or postal receipt regardless of whether the tenant responds.

Sources and Legislation

• Renters' Rights Act 2025 (legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/13)
• Official Information Sheet PDF — gov.uk
• Housing Act 1988 Schedule 2 (as amended by Renters' Rights Act 2025)

This guide is accurate as at 19 May 2026. It is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.