Date Published 27 March 2026
The government has published what it describes as the 'official Information Sheet that landlords and their agents must give to tenants.' The document is intended to help private landlords and letting agents in England understand how tenancies are affected by the changes introduced under the Renters' Rights Act.
The Information Sheet is a government-produced document designed for tenants. It explains how the new legislation may affect their tenancy and outlines the key changes introduced by the Act. According to the government, if a landlord uses a letting agent to manage the property, the agent is responsible for providing the Information Sheet to the tenant, even if the landlord has already done so.
When must the Information Sheet be provided?
The Information Sheet must be given to tenants where the tenancy:
• is an assured tenancy or assured shorthold tenancy
• was created before 1 May 2026
• has a wholly or partly written record of terms, such as a written tenancy agreement.
Landlords must ensure the Information Sheet is provided by 31 May 2026. Failure to do so could result in a financial penalty of up to £7,000. The government also states that a copy must be given to every tenant named on the tenancy agreement.
Important: Use the official version
The Information Sheet is only valid when downloaded from the official government release, so landlords and agents should ensure they are using the correct version.
How the document must be provided
The Information Sheet must be provided to tenants in one of the following ways:
• Printed hard copy, either posted or delivered by hand
• Electronic PDF attachment, for example sent via email or text message.
However, simply sending a link to the PDF is not acceptable. The government specifies that the document itself must be sent as an attachment.
Existing tenancy agreements
The legislation does not require landlords to amend or reissue existing written tenancy agreements. However, if a tenancy created before 1 May 2026 is based entirely on a verbal agreement, the Information Sheet cannot be used. In these cases, landlords must instead provide tenants with written information outlining the key terms of the tenancy.
As your dedicated agent and property manager, Adams Estates has already begun preparing the necessary processes to ensure the Information Sheet is issued to tenants where required. This proactive approach will help ensure our landlords remain fully compliant with the new requirements. Please note that this process will be handled by our team only for landlords whose properties are under our hands-off Fully Managed Service. Landlords using other service levels will remain responsible for ensuring the Information Sheet is provided to their tenants in line with the legislation.
