Landlords and letting agents in England must legally give tenants the government's new Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026 or risk a fine, ahead of the Act's main changes on 1 May 2026.
Key facts
- Who: Private landlords and letting agents in England, and their tenants
- From: Information sheet published 20 March 2026; main changes in force 1 May 2026; sheet must be given by 31 May 2026
- Source: Landlords now to fulfil new legal duty for Renters' Rights Act (GOV.UK)
On 20 March 2026 the government published the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026, an official document explaining the changes the Renters' Rights Act brings for tenancies. The government says the Act will improve the lives of 11 million private renters across England.
The sheet is designed to give tenants practical information on each change and what it means for their tenancy agreement. It covers stronger protections against rent increases, better rights to request pets, the end of Section 21 "no-fault" evictions, the end of fixed-term assured tenancies and other changes. The government says the new rights begin on 1 May 2026.
Landlords and their letting agents must legally give the sheet to their tenants by 31 May 2026 to avoid risking a fine. It can be given as a hard copy or attached electronically as a PDF to an email. More detailed instructions on the process are on GOV.UK and the government's campaign site.
Existing tenants without a written tenancy agreement do not need to receive the information sheet. The law instead requires their landlords or agents to give them a written statement setting out the key terms of their tenancy and other information, also by 31 May 2026.
The government says it will soon publish a full package of guidance for tenants on the rights they will have from 1 May 2026.
The National Residential Landlords Association welcomed publication of the material. Generation Rent's chief executive said it is vital that renters take the time to understand the new rights and how to respond if landlords break the rules.
INFOGRAPHIC: timeline
“`json { "title": "Renters' Rights Act: key dates", "events": [ {"date": "20 March 2026", "label": "Information Sheet 2026 published"}, {"date": "1 May 2026", "label": "New tenant rights begin, including the ban on Section 21 evictions"}, {"date": "31 May 2026", "label": "Deadline for landlords and agents to give tenants the information"} ], "source": "GOV.UK" } “`
What this means for tenants and landlords
Tenants do not need to do anything but read the information carefully. The legal duty to provide the information sheet, or the written statement for existing tenants without a written agreement, sits with landlords and their agents, and the deadline is 31 May 2026.
Landlords and letting agents should check that each tenancy has been dealt with using the right document, whether the information sheet or the written statement, before 31 May 2026. Anyone unsure which applies to a particular tenancy, or about the consequences of missing the deadline, should take advice before the date passes.
Sources
- Landlords now to fulfil new legal duty for Renters' Rights Act, GOV.UK, 20 March 2026