The RRA Information Sheet and Written Statement: What Landlords Must Provide

The 31 May 2026 Information Sheet deadline has passed. Here's what it was, who still needs to act, and what the Written Statement requires for new tenancies.

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduced two separate written documentation obligations that every private landlord in England must understand. One had a deadline of 31 May 2026 — which has now passed. The other applies to every new tenancy created on or after 1 May 2026 and must be given before the tenant signs. Both carry civil penalties of up to £7,000 per tenant for non-compliance.

This article covers what each obligation is, who is caught, what must be included, and what happens if you missed the deadline.

The Two Separate Obligations

The rules set out in The Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/324) create two distinct documents:

The Information Sheet — a standard government document for landlords with existing written tenancies before 1 May 2026.
The Written Statement of Terms — a document setting out key tenancy terms, required for all new tenancies from 1 May 2026, and for any oral tenancy (whether pre- or post-1 May 2026).

They are not interchangeable. Which one you need to serve depends entirely on when the tenancy started and whether anything was put in writing.

The Information Sheet: Who Had to Serve It and By When

Who it applied to

The Information Sheet applied to every landlord whose tenancy met all three of the following conditions:

It is an assured or assured shorthold tenancy
It was created before 1 May 2026
It has a wholly or partly written record of terms — including a formal tenancy agreement or even a document that only sets out some of the terms in writing

If your tenant is a lodger, the Information Sheet does not apply.

The obligation sits with the landlord directly. Where a letting agent manages the property, the agent is also required to serve the Information Sheet — even if the landlord has already done so.

The deadline: 31 May 2026

Under Schedule 6, paragraph 7(2) of the Renters' Rights Act 2025, landlords had one month from the 1 May 2026 commencement date to serve the Information Sheet — meaning the deadline was 31 May 2026. That deadline has now passed.

What the Information Sheet is — and is not

The Information Sheet is a standard PDF published by the government at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-renters-rights-act-information-sheet-2026. It explains to existing tenants how the Renters' Rights Act changes their tenancy.

You cannot draft your own version, add your logo, or alter the wording. The law requires the exact PDF from that page. Landlords must give it to every tenant named on the tenancy agreement — not just one of the joint tenants.

How to serve it

Acceptable methods under the guidance:

Print and post a hard copy to the tenant by first class post or hand-deliver it
Send the PDF as an email or text attachment — the file itself must be attached

Simply emailing or texting a link to the government web page is not sufficient. The PDF must be sent as an attachment. Government guidance on this point is explicit.

Missed the 31 May deadline — what now?

The fine for failure to serve the Information Sheet is up to £7,000 per breach, enforced by the local housing authority. The penalty is per tenant, so a joint tenancy with two named tenants could attract two separate penalties.

If you missed the deadline, the pragmatic step is to serve the Information Sheet now and keep proof of service. This does not eliminate the risk of a fine, but it demonstrates good faith and limits ongoing exposure. The civil penalty is discretionary — local authorities weigh factors including whether the landlord has since complied.

The Written Statement: What New Tenancies Require

For any tenancy created on or after 1 May 2026 — or any tenancy based entirely on a verbal agreement (pre- or post-May 2026) — the landlord must provide a Written Statement of Terms. This is not the same as the Information Sheet.

When it must be given

For new tenancies, the Written Statement must be given before the tenancy agreement is signed or otherwise agreed — including before a verbal tenancy is entered into. You cannot hand it over on move-in day; it must come first.

For pre-1 May oral tenancies with no written record at all, the Written Statement must have been provided by 31 May 2026.

What the Written Statement must contain

The Schedule to SI 2026/324, and the government guidance on written information, set out the minimum content:

Parties and property:

Full name(s) of the landlord(s), including all joint landlords
A postal address in England or Wales where the tenant can serve legal notices — this does not have to be your home address
Names of all tenants, including all joint tenants
Full address of the property

Tenancy terms:

Tenancy start date (the first day the tenant is entitled to possession)
Rent amount and when it is due
A statement that any rent increase will be by section 13 Housing Act 1988 notice — you cannot include contractual rent-review clauses in a new assured periodic tenancy
If bills are included in the rent: which bills, and any separate payment arrangements for council tax, utilities, TV licence, communications, or green deal obligations
Deposit amount (if a deposit is taken) — the 30-day protect-and-prescribe rules apply separately

Tenant's rights and landlord's obligations:

The minimum notice the tenant must give to end the tenancy — this can be any period up to two months; if you do not specify it, the default is two months
A statement that you, as landlord, can only end the tenancy by obtaining a court order for possession and having it executed
A statement that you have an obligation under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 to keep the property fit for habitation
A statement that you have an obligation under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 to keep the structure, exterior, and key installations in repair
A statement that the tenant has the right to request permission to keep a pet

Format and wording

You do not have to use the exact statutory wording, but you do have to cover all the specified information. The Written Statement can be a standalone document or incorporated into your tenancy agreement. Many landlords are simply updating their standard tenancy agreement template to include all the required elements, so nothing needs to be served separately.

Fine for non-compliance

Failure to provide the Written Statement before the tenancy is agreed can result in a civil penalty of up to £7,000 per tenant, enforceable by the local housing authority for the property. As Brachers note, the penalty applies per breach — a landlord who fails to serve on multiple tenants faces multiple penalties.

Which Document Do You Need?

Situation	Document required	Deadline
Existing written tenancy started before 1 May 2026	Information Sheet (exact PDF)	31 May 2026 — now passed
Verbal/oral tenancy started before 1 May 2026	Written Statement of Terms	31 May 2026 — now passed
New tenancy started on or after 1 May 2026	Written Statement of Terms	Before tenancy is signed
Tenancy started after 1 May 2026 — no written agreement	Written Statement of Terms	Before tenancy is verbally agreed

mypy's Information Sheet workflow generates a date-stamped proof of service record alongside the correct document for each tenancy type. If you manage more than a couple of properties, keeping this in a spreadsheet creates exactly the kind of gap that a local authority fine relies on. Try it free for your first two properties.

Frequently asked questions

The 31 May 2026 deadline for the Information Sheet has passed. What should I do?

Serve the Information Sheet now by sending the PDF as an email attachment to every tenant named on your tenancy, and keep a dated record of service. The civil penalty of up to £7,000 per tenant is discretionary — local housing authorities consider whether the landlord has since complied when deciding whether and how much to fine. Do not ignore it.

Can I modify the Information Sheet before sending it?

No. The Information Sheet must be the exact PDF downloaded from the government's publication page. You cannot alter the wording, add your own branding, or tailor it. You can include a covering note explaining what it is, but the PDF itself must be unaltered.

Does my letting agent also have to serve the Information Sheet?

Yes. Under SI 2026/324, where a letting agent acts on the landlord's behalf, the agent also has the obligation to serve the Information Sheet — even if the landlord has already served it. Both landlord and agent must serve it independently.

Do I need to update my tenancy agreement for new lets?

You do not have to use a specific government template, but any new tenancy started on or after 1 May 2026 must include or be accompanied by a Written Statement covering all the required information before it is signed. The easiest approach is to update your standard tenancy agreement to include the required terms — you then serve one document rather than two.

What if a tenant is a lodger?

The Information Sheet and Written Statement obligations do not apply to lodgers. They only apply to assured and assured shorthold tenancies. A lodger occupying a room in your home on a licence is not an assured tenancy and is outside scope.

Sources

This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Verify your obligations against current GOV.UK guidance or seek professional advice for your circumstances. Last reviewed 2026-07-11.