Letting agents and landlords face a fresh compliance deadline under the Renters’ Rights Act after the Government issued a mandatory information sheet that must be given to most tenants by the end of May.
The new “Official Information Sheet” explains how the upcoming law changes affect renters and must be provided to tenants in England with existing assured shorthold tenancies or written tenancy agreements created before 1 May 2026.
Under the rules, the document must be given to tenants by 31 May 2026, with agents responsible for issuing it where they manage the property on the landlord’s behalf.
The requirement forms part of the first stage of the Renters’ Rights Act rollout, which will overhaul the private rented sector, including scrapping Section 21 evictions, ending fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies and introducing new rules on rent increases, pets and possession grounds.
AGENTS MUST
Government guidance states that where a letting agent is instructed, the agent must provide the information sheet even if the landlord has already done so, meaning agencies could need to send the document to every tenant on their managed portfolio.
The document must be delivered as a hard copy by hand or post, or as a PDF attachment by email or text.
Sending a web link alone is not valid under the rules.
Landlords do not need to rewrite existing tenancy agreements, but they must ensure tenants receive the official explanation of how the new law affects them.
Failure to comply could result in enforcement action by local authorities, with potential financial penalties reported to be as high as £7,000.
MAJOR ADMIN TASK
The change is seen as a major administrative task for letting agents, many of whom will need to review thousands of tenancies ahead of the deadline.
The information sheet is one of several measures being introduced ahead of the wider Renters’ Rights reforms, which will also bring a national landlord database, a new ombudsman and tighter regulation of the private rented sector.
CLEAR COMMUNICATION
Nathan Emerson (main picture, inset), CEO of Propertymark, says: “As we approach the implementation of the first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act this May, it is essential that all elements of the new legislation are communicated clearly, consistently, and at the appropriate time between letting agents, landlords, and tenants, in line with UK Government expectations.
“With the publication of the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026, letting agents across England will be required to ensure that all tenants named on a tenancy agreement receive this information, regardless of whether the landlord has provided it. Failure to provide each tenant with the Information Sheet by 31 May 2026 could result in fines of up to £7,000.”
MUST BE PROVIDED
He adds: “The Information Sheet must be provided either as a physical hard copy or electronically, such as via email. It is important to note that simply sharing a web link to the information sheet will not meet the required communication standards.
“Letting agents should also maintain comprehensive records of all communications to support any potential complaints or future audit requirements.
“Propertymark will continue to provide resources and guidance to members to support them, which they can access via our website.”
Download the information sheet HERE.
