Residential landlords have days left to meet a key requirement under the Renters' Rights Act
Landlords across England must issue an official information sheet to their tenants by the end of the month or face fines of up to £7,000 per property under the Renters' Rights Act, which came into force earlier this month.
The legislation requires landlords or their letting agents to distribute a government-issued document explaining how the Act affects existing tenancies.
The document must be sent to every tenant named on a tenancy agreement that was in place before 1 May 2026, either as a printed copy delivered by post or by hand, or as an email or text message attachment. The exact government PDF must be used; paraphrased or summarised versions do not satisfy the requirement.
The Act introduces substantial changes to tenancy law. Fixed-term tenancies will be abolished and replaced with rolling periodic tenancies, removing the requirement for renters to commit to lengthy contracts. Section 21 "no-fault" evictions are banned, meaning landlords must provide an accepted ground for ending a tenancy. Renters also gain the right to terminate with two months' notice and are better protected when challenging poor property conditions or excessive rent increases.
Responsibility for issuing the information sheet depends on the arrangement between landlord and agent. Where a fully managed service is in place, the agent is generally expected to handle distribution and ongoing compliance. However, landlords are advised to confirm this has been done, as the financial penalty ultimately falls on them. Where an agent is engaged only to find tenants or collect rent, the obligation may rest with the landlord directly.
Government guidance further specifies that where a letting agent manages a property on the landlord's behalf, the agent must provide the information sheet even if the landlord has already done so. Landlords who let rooms to lodgers within their own home are exempt from the requirement.
"The main immediate compliance requirement for existing written tenancies is the new Government Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet," said Megan Eighteen, president of ARLA Propertymark. "If your tenants already had a written tenancy agreement before 1 May 2026, the landlord or agent must provide that information sheet by 31 May 2026. Failure to do so can lead to enforcement action or a financial penalty from the local authority."
Local councils are responsible for enforcement and may impose fines of up to £7,000 per tenancy for non-compliance, according to government guidelines.
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