News at Boydens
21st January 2026
GOVERNMENT RELEASES DRAFT WRITTEN STATEMENT OF TERMS & INFORMATION FOR RENTERS' RIGHTS ACT
As of January 2026, the government has published draft secondary legislation under the
Renters’ Rights Act 2025 detailing mandatory information landlords must provide to tenants. These requirements take effect on May 1, 2026, for all new and existing tenancies in England.
NEW MANDATORY INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS
From May 1, 2026, landlords or agents must provide a Written Statement of Terms and Information before a new tenancy begins. This statement can be part of the tenancy agreement or a separate document and must include:
Identities and Contacts: Full names of all joint landlords and all named tenants, plus an address in England or Wales where notices can be served on the landlord.
Tenancy Details: The full property address and the date the tenant is first entitled to possession.
Financial Terms: Rent amount and due dates, plus a statement that rent increases must follow the Section 13 notice process.
Bills and Utilities: Details on whether council tax, utilities (gas, electricity, water), TV licence, or communication services are included in the rent or paid separately.
Deposits: If applicable, the total amount of the security deposit.
Notice and Security: The minimum notice a tenant must give to end the tenancy (usually two months) and a statement explaining that a landlord generally requires a court order and valid grounds to end the tenancy.
Statutory Obligations: Statements regarding the landlord’s duties for fitness for human habitation, repairs, electrical safety, and gas safety.
Tenant Rights: Information on rights to request a pet and rights regarding disability adaptations under the Equality Act.
REQUIREMENTS FOR EXISTING TENANCIES
For tenancies that began before May 1, 2026, landlords DO NOT need to reissue a new tenancy agreement. Instead, they must:
Provide a government-produced Information Sheet explaining the new law to all named tenants by May 31, 2026.
Provide a Written Statement of Terms by May 31, 2026, if the existing tenancy was entirely based on a verbal agreement.
KEY IMPLEMENTATION DATES
January 2026: Draft list of mandatory information published for landlord preparation.
March 2026: Final version of the information list and the official Information Sheet for existing tenants to be published.
May 1, 2026: New rules come into force; all Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) convert to periodic assured tenancies.
May 31, 2026: Deadline for landlords to provide the Information Sheet to existing tenants.
Failure to comply with these information requirements can result in local council fines of up to £7,000. For further details, landlords can refer to the official Renting out your property guidance or the Housing Hub.
The governments draft statement can be found here:
