- Most landlords with existing written tenancies needed to give tenants the government’s official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.
- Landlords with verbal tenancies instead needed to provide a written statement setting out the key terms of the tenancy.
- Missing these deadlines could result in fines of up to £7,000, so it’s important to check your paperwork is up to date.
- Working with a professional property management company like J Property Management can help you stay compliant and on top of new legislative changes.
One of the biggest misconceptions I’ve heard since the Renters’ Rights Act came into play is that landlords need to issue entirely new tenancy agreements to all of their tenants. Thankfully, that’s not the case.
However, many landlords were asked to provide new paperwork to existing tenants, and if you’ve not checked the new rules recently, it’s worth making sure you’ve done everything needed. The good news is that for most landlords, the process is relatively simple, however, staying on top of it can be a full-time job. Working with a professional property management company like J Property Management can help you stay compliant and on top of paperwork, especially amongst ever-changing regulations.
To find out more about our services, speak to the team today.
What New Paperwork Must I Now Give Existing Tenants?
The answer depends on whether your tenancy already had a written agreement in place. If your tenancy was wholly or partly recorded in writing, you should have provided tenants with the government’s official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.
If the tenancy was entirely verbal, you should instead have provided a written statement setting out the key terms of the tenancy.
For most landlords, the Information Sheet is the only new document that needed to be given to existing tenants.
Do All Landlords Need To Provide The Same Paperwork To Existing Tenants?
No. The paperwork that you need to send to tenants depends on how the tenancy was originally created. Most landlords will fall into the category that just need to provide the Information Sheet, because they already have a written tenancy agreement in place.
Providing a written statement of terms is only necessary where there is no written record of the tenancy at all, which is relatively uncommon today.
As a property management company, we’ve found this distinction causes most of the confusion. Many landlords assume they need to provide both documents when in reality they usually only need one.
Not sure which documents apply to your tenancy? Our team can review your current tenancy arrangements and help you understand exactly what paperwork is needed under the latest legislation.
What Is The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet?
The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet is an official government document designed to explain how the Renters’ Rights Act affects tenants.
It covers some of the biggest changes introduced by the legislation, including:
- The abolition of Section 21 notices
- The move to periodic tenancies
- Changes to rent increases
- New rights relating to pets
- New protections from eviction
Importantly, landlords must use the exact PDF issued by the government, you cannot create your own version or summarise the contents and send that on.
How Do I Give My Tenants The Information Sheet?
The government is very specific about how the document must be served.
You can either:
- Hand deliver a printed copy
- Send a hard copy through the post
- Email the PDF as an attachment
- Send the PDF as an attachment via message
What you can’t do is just email or text a link to the document online. That’s a small detail, but one that could catch landlords out.
Where possible, I always recommend keeping a record showing when and how the document was provided.
If you find yourself struggling to keep up with deadlines, why not work with a professional property management company? We don’t just help with compliance, we can also help with ongoing maintenance, tenant sourcing and more.
Get in touch with the team today.
What Happens If I Missed The Deadline To Send The Renters’ Rights Information Sheet?
If you missed the deadline to send Information Sheet, you should do so immediately. The deadline to send the document for most existing tenancies was 31 May 2026 and failure to send it could result in financial penalties of up to £7,000.
While no landlord wants to find out they’ve been un-compliant, taking action now is far better than continuing to leave the issue unresolved.
What If My Tenancy Is Based On A Verbal Agreement?
If your tenancy was created verbally, the rules are different. Rather than providing the Information Sheet, landlords were asked to provide a written statement of terms.
This document should include key information such as:
- Landlord details
- Tenant details
- Property address
- Rent amount
- Payment arrangements
- Notice rules
The aim is to make sure both parties have a clear record of the tenancy moving forward.
The good news is that if you’ve missed the deadline, it’s usually better to act now than continue delaying. If you’re not sure where you stand, we’re always happy to review your tenancy paperwork and point you in the right direction.
Do I Need To Update My Existing Tenancy Agreement?
In most cases, no. The Renters’ Rights Act changed how many tenancies operate, but landlords generally were not asked to issue new tenancy agreements to existing tenants.
Instead, the Information Sheet was designed to explain the changes and let tenants know which clauses from their existing tenancy agreements may now be void.
To find out more, read our guide around Do I need to update all tenancy agreements after the Renters Rights Act?
How Can I Make Sure I’m Compliant As A Landlord Going Forward?
Keeping up with landlord legislation has become quite a bit harder over the last few years. And with the Renters’ Rights Act coming into play this year, it’s more important than ever that landlords are staying on top of new legislations.
That’s one of the reasons many South London landlords choose professional property management.
At J Property Management, we stay on top of legislative changes so our landlords don’t have to.
Whether it’s compliance, rent collection, maintenance or tenant communication, we’re here to help protect your investment and keep everything running smoothly.
If you’re not completely sure that you’ve met the new paperwork rules for existing tenants, now is a good time to check.
Our team can review your tenancy arrangements, answer any questions and help ensure your property remains fully compliant under the Renters’ Rights Act.
Get in touch with J Property Management today for friendly, expert advice.
