The Renters' Rights Act 2025 commenced on 1 May 2026. On that date, a 31-day window opened for landlords to serve the official Information Sheet on every existing tenant. The window closes on 31 May 2026. There is no grace period.
Serving the Information Sheet is not optional and it is not the tenant's responsibility to request it. It is a statutory obligation on the landlord, or the managing agent, where one is used. Failure to comply is a civil offence enforced by local authorities, with penalties up to £7,000 for a first breach and up to £40,000 for a second.
What is the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet?
The Information Sheet is an official government document published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). It is a four-page summary explaining to existing tenants how the Renters' Rights Act 2025 changes their tenancy.
The document covers: the automatic conversion of their Assured Shorthold Tenancy to a Periodic Assured Tenancy; the abolition of Section 21 'no-fault' evictions; how rent can now only be increased via Section 13; their new right to submit a pet request; and how contractual rent review clauses no longer apply.
- Official GOV.UK document, must be served without alteration or editing
- Must be provided as an attached PDF, not linked from an email or website
- Each named tenant on the tenancy agreement must receive their own copy
- If a letting agent manages the property, the agent must also serve it even if the landlord has already done so
Who must receive the Information Sheet?
You must give the Information Sheet to every named tenant with a written tenancy under the Housing Act 1988 that was in place before 1 May 2026. This includes:
- All named tenants on a standard Assured Shorthold Tenancy
- All named tenants on a periodic AST (statutory or contractual)
- All named tenants on an HMO per-room tenancy agreement
- Joint tenancies: each individual named on the agreement must receive a separate copy
Who does NOT need to receive the Information Sheet?
The Information Sheet obligation does not apply to:
- Wholly verbal tenancies (no written agreement), these require a Written Statement of Terms instead, same deadline
- New tenancies starting on or after 1 May 2026, the Information Sheet applies to existing tenancies only
- Tenancies in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland, the RRA 2025 is England-only
- Lodger arrangements under a licence rather than a tenancy
How to serve the Information Sheet correctly
Serving incorrectly is the same as not serving at all. Follow these steps to ensure compliance:
- Step 1, Download the official PDF from GOV.UK (search 'Renters Rights Act Information Sheet 2026'). Do not edit, annotate or reformat it.
- Step 2, Attach the PDF to your communication. Do not send a link to the document, only the attached PDF constitutes valid service.
- Step 3, Choose a valid service method: email with the PDF attached (retain the sent copy with timestamp); hand delivery of a printed copy (note date and obtain a signature if possible); first-class post with printed copy (retain certificate of posting).
- Step 4, Serve each tenant individually. On a joint tenancy, each named tenant must receive their own copy.
- Step 5, Keep a service record. Document every service: date, method, and confirmation. If a tenant disputes receipt and you have no record, the local authority may treat you as non-compliant.
What if I have a letting agent?
If a letting agent manages your property, the agent is also required to serve the Information Sheet, even if you have already done so as the landlord. This is a separate statutory obligation on the agent, not a delegation of your obligation.
If you use an agent, check with them urgently whether they have served the Information Sheet on all managed properties. If they have not, both you and the agent may be liable.
Penalties for non-compliance
Local authorities have the power to impose civil penalty notices on landlords who fail to serve the Information Sheet by 31 May 2026:
- First offence: civil penalty up to £7,000
- Second offence: civil penalty up to £40,000
- Tenants have the right to report non-compliance directly to the local authority
- Serving late (after 31 May but before enforcement action) may reduce but not eliminate liability
What if I cannot contact my tenant?
If you have genuinely been unable to contact a tenant despite reasonable efforts, document every attempt: date, method, and any response (or absence of one). Courts and local authorities will consider whether the landlord took all reasonable steps to comply.
Attempt service by email (attach the PDF), first-class post to the property address, and any other contact details held. Keep records of all attempts.
Frequently asked questions
Does a link in an email comply with the Information Sheet obligation?+
No. Providing a link to the Information Sheet, whether to GOV.UK or any other website, does not constitute valid service. The obligation requires you to serve the PDF itself as an attachment. A link that the tenant may or may not click does not meet the statutory requirement.
Do I need to serve the Information Sheet on new tenants starting after 1 May 2026?+
No. The Information Sheet obligation applies to existing tenants with a tenancy in place before 1 May 2026. For new tenancies granted on or after 1 May 2026, the requirement is that the tenancy agreement itself (a Periodic Assured Tenancy) incorporates the new statutory terms from day one.
My tenant lives overseas, can I email them?+
Yes, but you must attach the PDF, not provide a link. Email with the PDF attached is valid service. For overseas tenants, email with attachment plus a request for read-receipt confirmation is the recommended approach. Keep a copy of the sent email with the attachment visible.
What happens if I serve it on 1 June 2026?+
The deadline is 31 May 2026. Service after that date is non-compliant, but serving shortly after the deadline before any enforcement action may reduce the penalty if challenged. Document when you served and why you missed the deadline, context can be relevant to the local authority's penalty decision. It does not, however, eliminate liability.
We have a joint tenancy with three named tenants. Do all three need their own copy?+
Yes. Each named tenant on the tenancy agreement must receive their own copy. Serving one copy and expecting tenants to share it is not compliant. With three named tenants, you need three separate services, by email with PDF attachment, post, or hand delivery to each person individually.
Is the Information Sheet obligation the same in Wales?+
No. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 applies to England only. Wales has separate legislation under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. If you let property in Wales, the Information Sheet obligation does not apply, but Wales has its own compliance requirements, including a variation notice obligation for the discrimination fundamental terms between 1 and 14 June 2026.