The government published the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 on 20 March 2026. It applies to written tenancies entered into before 1 May 2026: the one-off 31 May 2026 deadline has passed, so serve any outstanding copies now, official PDF unaltered, by email attachment or printed copy, and keep proof. New tenancies from 1 May 2026 do not receive the Information Sheet; those tenants get the written statement of key terms before the tenancy is agreed.
When the Renters' Rights Act 2025 commenced on 1 May 2026, existing Assured Shorthold Tenancies automatically converted to Assured Periodic Tenancies. Because tenants did not sign a new agreement, Parliament required landlords to actively notify tenants of the change and their new rights, using a government-published document called the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026.
What is the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet?
It is a four-page PDF document published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). It explains to tenants:
- That their tenancy has automatically converted from an AST to an Assured Periodic Tenancy
- That Section 21 no-fault evictions are abolished, they can no longer be asked to leave without a statutory reason
- How rent increases now work (Section 13 statutory process only, once per 12 months)
- Their right to request a pet
- Their right to challenge a rent increase at the First-tier Tribunal
- How to contact the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman (when operational)
You must serve the official PDF as published. Sending a summary, a paraphrase, or a link to the government website does not constitute valid service.
Who must give it and who must receive it?
| Landlord type | Must give it? | Who receives it? |
|---|---|---|
| Private landlord with an AST in England as at 1 May 2026 | Yes | Every named adult tenant on that tenancy |
| Landlord with a tenancy that began on or after 1 May 2026 | Yes, at tenancy start | Every named adult tenant before or at commencement |
| Landlord in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland | No, separate regimes apply | N/A |
| Landlord of a holiday let or exempt property | No, if genuinely exempt | N/A |
Deadline and penalty
For existing tenancies (converted on 1 May 2026): serve by 31 May 2026. For new tenancies started on or after 1 May 2026: serve before or at the start of the tenancy.
Failure to serve the Information Sheet by the deadline is a civil offence. The local housing authority can impose a civil penalty of up to £7,000 per landlord. The penalty applies per landlord, not per tenancy, but a landlord with multiple properties and multiple tenants who have not received the sheet faces potential penalties on each tenancy.
How to serve it correctly
The Information Sheet Serving Pack (£14.99) bundles a pre-formatted cover letter, proof-of-service certificate, and deadline tracker, everything you need to serve correctly and keep a defensible record.
- Download the official PDF. Get the current version from GOV.UK. Do not alter it.
- Serve it as an email attachment. Email to every named tenant at their email address on record, with the PDF attached. A link is not sufficient, the PDF must be attached.
- Or serve a printed copy. Print and post or hand-deliver a copy to every named tenant. First-class post to the tenancy address is acceptable; keep a certificate of posting.
- Keep proof of service. Retain a copy of the sent email (with attachment), a delivery receipt, or a certificate of posting. If the penalty is challenged, proof of service is your defence.
- Record the date. Note the date of service in your tenancy records for each tenant.
Each named tenant on a joint tenancy must receive their own copy. Serving one copy on one of three joint tenants is not sufficient. If you have a tenancy with three named tenants, send or give three copies, one to each, and keep three proofs of service.
What if a tenant has already moved out?
If a tenant who was named on the tenancy as at 1 May 2026 has since vacated and you no longer have a forwarding address, document your attempts to serve. Try any last known email address and any forwarding address provided on departure. Keep a record of those attempts. The obligation is to take reasonable steps; it is not absolute where a tenant has left no forwarding details.
Does this affect new tenancies started on or after 1 May 2026?
Not directly. The Information Sheet duty applies to written tenancies entered into before 1 May 2026. For a tenancy created on or after 1 May 2026, a different duty applies instead: you must give the tenant the required written information about the key terms of the tenancy before the tenancy is agreed, under section 16D of the Housing Act 1988 and the Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/324). Failure to give the written information also carries a civil penalty of up to £7,000, and the ordinary start-of-tenancy obligations (gas safety certificate, EPC, EICR) still apply.
Renters' Rights Act Transition Pack
LetSafe UK's Renters' Rights Act Transition Pack (£39) includes:
- A covering letter to accompany the Information Sheet, explains to your tenants, in plain English, what the conversion means for them personally
- A service checklist, one row per named tenant, with columns for service date, method, and proof retained
- A certificate of service template, for each tenancy, signed and dated
- The full transition documentation: rent-review timing playbook, pet-request response template, and Section 21 cliff-edge decision tree
Download the official PDF from GOV.UK. Attach it to an email (or print and post) to every named tenant. For new tenancies: serve before or at commencement. For existing tenancies converted 1 May 2026: the 31 May 2026 deadline has passed, serve now if you have not yet done so. Keep proof of service.