From 1 May 2026, millions of private tenants in England will benefit from new statutory protections from the Renters Rights Act (RRA), including the abolition of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, the removal of fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies replaced by rolling and open-ended assured periodic tenancies, stronger safeguards against rent increases, and enhanced rights such as the right to request permission to keep a pet.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published an Official Information Sheet to support implementation of the Act which explains the changes being implemented. The Information Sheet explains that these legal changes apply automatically to relevant tenancies and cannot be overridden by tenancy agreements. It ensures that tenants understand how their rights and obligations will change.
Landlords and letting agents are legally obliged to provide this 4-page document to residential tenants by 31 May 2026, either in hard copy or electronically attached as a PDF to an email or text message. The official document must be downloaded from the Government website. It applies to all Assured or Assured Shorthold Tenancies created before 1 May 2026. Non-compliance carries potential financial penalties.
Minor or first-time breaches carry a civil financial penalty of up to £7,000 per breach, which covers infractions like failing to provide the Official Information Sheet, register on the new private rented sector database, encouraging rental bidding, or attempting to force a fixed-term tenancy. These penalties can be imposed by local housing authorities.
Serious or repeat breaches carry a financial penalty of up to £40,000. Serious offences include unlawful eviction and improper re-letting of property within 12 months. Where a civil penalty has been imposed on a landlord for a breach, and the conduct continues for more than 28 days after imposition of the penalty or the conclusion of an appeal, the landlord will have committed an offence and may be liable to prosecution or a civil penalty of up to £40,000.
Requirements for Landlords from 1 May 2026
Landlords and their letting agents must legally provide the Official Information Sheet to tenants by 31 May 2026 to avoid risking a fine.
As of 1 May, landlords are also required to provide written information of terms of the tenancy, including the name and address of the landlord, the amount of rent owed and the due date, the deposit amount, repair responsibilities and what bills the tenant must pay.
The purpose of this is to provide a clear written record of the key terms of the tenancy, outlining the landlord and tenant’s rights and responsibilities and assisting in avoiding or resolving disputes.
The information will need to be provided when a new tenancy is created on or after 1 May 2026 before a tenancy is agreed. This information can be included in a written tenancy or provided to the tenant separately.
If you have a verbal tenancy agreement with a renter, you are now required to formalise it by giving them a written record explaining the specific terms of the agreement by 31 May.
From 1 May, a Section 8 notice will be required to get your property back if there are serious issues with your tenant such as antisocial behaviour or rent arrears. Section 8 will also be an available route to gain possession for other valid reasons, such as if you need to sell the property.
As of 1 May, any rent rises landlords plan to make must be once every 12 months (max), made with at least 2-months’ notice, and made formally through Section 13 only.
Any adverts for properties that are being rented out must also be in compliance with the RRA. As of 1 May, the rules stipulate the asking rent must be published on any written advert and any offers above this price must not be accepted to avoid bidding wars. No more than one month’s rent should be requested up front, and you can only accept rent after all parties have signed the tenancy agreement. Tenants should not be subject to discrimination – they cannot be refused if they have children or are in receipt of benefits.
What do I need to do now?
It is important for landlords to be prepared and to ensure they understand the changes, what they mean for their tenancies and their new obligations. They also need to understand the processes of obtaining possession with the changes in the law.
Nockolds are here to help you with getting to grips with the changes. If you are concerned or want to obtain advice on your options, please contact Nicola Stewart or Saagar Mehta to see how we can help you.