Landlords: Avoid £40,000 Fines - New Renters Rights Act Information Sheet Deadline is 31 May 2026

Under the new Renters Rights Act 2025, which took effect from 1 May 2026, Landlords are required to provide the new Renters’ Rights Act official government Information Sheet to their tenants by 31 May 2026.

Landlords are required to provide the new official government Information Sheets to their tenants, even if there is an agent managing the property on their behalf.
There are serious consequences to the Landlord if the Landlord fails to provide the official government Information Sheet to the tenant, details of which are set out below.

What is an official government Information Sheet?

The official government Information Sheet is a new 4 page document produced by the government for the benefit of tenants which sets out the changes in law affecting tenancies under the Renters’ Rights Act 2005. It is available from the government information website www.gov.uk and by searching for Renters Rights Act Information Sheet. The website also states how the Information Sheet must be provided to tenants.
Landlords must provide the official government Information Sheet to their tenant if the tenancy meet the following requirements (“the Requirements”):

The tenancy is an assured tenancy or an assured shorthold tenancy; and
There is a written agreement in place or a written record which records either wholly or partly the terms of the tenancy; and
The tenancy commenced before 1 May 2026.

The requirement under the Renters Rights Act 2025 is to provide the official government Information Sheet to the tenant. It is not necessary to also provide the official government Information Sheet to either (1) Occupiers who are not named on the tenancy agreement or record of tenancy terms, or (2) Guarantors.

When must the new Information Sheet be provided to the tenant?

Landlords must follow the government guidance on the requirements for serving the Information Sheet by the deadline of 31 May 2026, so there’s not long to go until the deadline will elapse, and Landlords must take action now to ensure compliance.

Exceptional Circumstances

There are a few exceptional circumstances where it is not necessary for the Landlord to provide the official government Information Sheet which are as follows (“the Exceptions”);

Where a new tenancy commences where a written tenancy agreement is signed or created on or after 1 May 2026; and
Where a Lodger or licensee is the occupier (as these groups have a different legal occupancy classification than a tenant); and
Where the tenancy is a whole verbal tenancy which is an older tenancy (which was created or commenced before 1 May 2026) and it is entirely oral and made without any written record of the terms at all, the Landlord is required to provide the tenant with different information – see below.

Different information to be given to tenant only where there’s no written tenancy agreement or where there are no terms of the tenancy recorded in writing

Where the tenancy is a whole verbal tenancy which is an older tenancy (which was created or commenced before 1 May 2026) and it is entirely oral and made without any written record of the terms at all, the Landlord is required to provide the tenant with a written statement of the terms of the tenancy instead of the official government Information Sheet.

What happens if a Landlord does not comply with the requirements to provide the Information Sheet to their tenant?

If Landlords do not provide the Information Sheet by the deadline of 31 May 2026, it may result in significant fines of up to £7,000 or £40,000 for repeated breaches.

Require Advice?

If you require any further advice on the above or on any changes introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 then please contact one of our Dispute Resolution (Landlord & Tenant) Solicitors: –

Anna Zulfukar – [email protected] (Portsmouth office – 02392 828131)
Joe Carruthers – [email protected] (Chichester and Worthing office – 01243 778844)

NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Information made available on this website in any form is for information purposes only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. You should not rely on or take or fail to take any action based upon this information and we will not be liable for any information that is relied upon as legal advice.