The small print gets bigger: New tenant information regulations

The small print gets bigger: New tenant information regulations

Beth Donaldson & Kati Savtsenko, Property Litigation

In January 2026, the government published draft regulations which set out the information that must be included in the written statement of terms and provided to the tenants by landlords and agents under the Renters Rights Act 2025 (“RRA 2025”).

The draft regulations are a key piece of secondary legislation which gives practical effect to the RRA 2025. From 1 May 2026, landlords or their agents are required to provide tenants with written information regarding the key terms of their Assured Periodic Tenancy (“APT”) before the tenancy is agreed or signed. This information can either be incorporated into the tenancy agreement itself or can be provided in a separate document. Whilst only in draft format and therefore, possibly subject to change, the publication is intended to give landlords advance notice of compliance requirements and allow landlords and agents to update tenancy documentation and internal procedures ahead of implementation.

The draft regulations prescribe a comprehensive list of information that must be provided to the tenant for all tenancies that commence from 1 May 2026, which can be summarised as follows:

• The name of the landlord (if joint landlords, both names must be provided) under the tenancy together with the name of the tenant (if more than one, all names must be provided) under the tenancy.
• An address in England or Wales at which notices (including notices in proceedings) may be served on the landlord by the tenant.
• The address of the dwelling-house let on the tenancy (the ‘property’) together with the date on which the tenant is first entitled to possession under the tenancy.
• The rent payable under the tenancy and when it is due.
• Deposit details where applicable.
• Key statutory rights and obligations including how a rent increase may be affected, repairing obligations and fitness for human habitation
• How tenants can serve notice to quit and a statement explaining the tenancy can only be brought to an end by the landlord by service of a notice on a specified ground and if necessary, by obtaining a court order.
• Key safety duties to be carried out by the landlord such as an obligation to undertake an EICR every five years and ensure that a copy of the same is provided to the tenant and an obligation to undertake a Gas Safety Certificate every year and ensure that a copy is provided to the tenant.
• A statement that the tenant may keep a pet at the property subject to landlord consent, which is not to be unreasonably withheld.

A full copy of the draft regulations can be found here.

For tenancies already in existence before 1 May 2026, landlords will not be required to issue a new written statement of terms. However, they will be required to provide the tenants with a government produced information sheet which sets out how the RRA 2025 will affect their tenancy by 31 May 2026. The publication of this information sheet is expected in March 2026.

Landlords and agents should begin reviewing and revising their tenancy paperwork and onboarding process to ensure compliance from 1 May 2026 to ensure they are not subject to new enforcement powers granted to the local authority. Failure to comply with these new regulations could result in the landlord receiving a fine of up to £7,000.

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