Landlords in England are being urged to act quickly following the publication of the official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026.

If you have an assured tenancy or assured shorthold tenancy (AST) created before 1 May 2026 you must provide every named tenant with a copy of this exact government document by 31 May 2026.

• Who it applies to: Existing assured or AST tenancies created before 1 May 2026 with any written record of terms.
• What must be sent: The exact PDF downloaded from GOV.UK — not a link, screenshot, or rewritten version.
• Who must receive it: Every tenant named on the tenancy agreement.
• How to serve it:
  • Hard copy (posted or handed in person), and/or
  • PDF sent as an attachment.
  • Sending only a link to the document is not valid.

You do not need to reissue or rewrite existing written tenancy agreements.

Don’t Assume Your Letting Agent Is Handling It

Landlords risk assuming their agent will automatically serve the document — especially under let-only or rent-collection-only agreements.

Government guidance is clear: both landlords and agents have responsibilities, but in limited-service arrangements, the duty often falls back on the landlord. Always confirm who is responsible and keep a clear audit trail of when and how the document was served.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Failure to serve the correct document by the deadline could result in a civil penalty of up to £7,000 for a single breach, rising to £40,000 for repeated offences or where the issue remains unresolved.

New Tenancies from 1 May 2026

For any new tenancy starting on or after 1 May 2026, you will need to use the new assured periodic tenancy agreement format.

What You Should Do Now

1. Download the official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 directly from GOV.UK.
2. Review all your existing tenancies created before 1 May 2026.
3. Confirm with your agent (in writing) who is responsible for serving the document.
4. Serve the exact PDF or hard copy to every named tenant and keep proof of delivery.
5. Prepare your new assured periodic tenancy templates for any lettings starting from 1 May onward.

Act today — the deadline is tight, and the risk of penalties is real.