Government reveals what must be included in Renters’ Rights Act tenancy agreements

The government has released details of what information landlords must put in new tenancy agreements under the Renters’ Rights Act.

The information could be subject to change, with the final version expected in March, but is unlikely to change much before the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force on 1 May.

The government has also confirmed that existing tenancies already in writing will not need to provide a new tenancy agreement, but will be expected to provide a separate information sheet to tenants outlining the changes in the Act.

The government will publish this in March, and it must be served to existing tenants no later than 31 May.

Mandatory information to be included in tenancy agreement

New tenancy agreements will have to include mandatory information such as:

• The name of the landlord (including all joint landlords) for the tenancy and name of all the tenants
• An address in England or Wales where notices can be served on the landlord
• The address of the property being let
• The date on which the tenant is entitled to possession of the property from
• The rent and when it is due
• A statement that the landlord must serve a Section 13 notice to increase rent
• Any bills that are included in the rent
• Any bills payable to the landlord that are in addition to the rent (ie. for utilities)
• The deposit amount if one is being taken

Most of this information is already included in tenancy agreements, but the government has introduced some new additions under the Renters’ Rights Act, including the right for tenants to request a pet:

• A statement that the tenant may request a pet in accordance with Section 16A of the Housing Act 1988 and that the landlord may not unreasonably withhold consent.
• The minimum notice period a tenant must give to terminate the agreement (usually two months).
• A statement that the landlord is obligated to ensure the property is fit for human habitation.
• A statement setting out the landlord’s obligations under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.
• A statement setting out the landlord’s obligations under the Electrical Safety Regulations.
• If there is gas in the property, a statement setting out the landlord’s obligations under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations.

Landlords and letting agents could face fines

Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, warns landlords they must provide tenants with the required information or face fines.

He said: “For new tenancies entered on or after 1 May 2026, tenants must be provided with the Written Statement of Terms and Information.

“Also, this applies to any current tenancies that are based on verbal agreements started before 1 May 2026. This will need to be done before a tenancy agreement is signed or otherwise agree the tenancy. The information can be provided within a written tenancy agreement or given separately.

“Failure to provide a compliant written statement can expose landlords and agents acting on their behalf to enforcement action, including a fine.”

“The list of information that will need to be included has been published in a draft Statutory Instrument. This information list is a draft and may change with a final version expected in March.”

Landlords won’t need to change a current tenancy agreement

He added: “Following feedback, we are pleased that the UK government has clarified when and how the information must be provided alongside tenancy agreements. Furthermore, the Written Statement of Terms includes an address where notices can be served on the landlord by tenants.

“However, the document should include the agent’s details if one is used and be future-proofed to include space for the landlord’s unique identifier to match information on the PRS Database.

“For existing tenancies (created before 1 May 2026), landlords won’t need to change a current tenancy agreement if one is in place or issue a new one. Instead, landlords with existing tenancies will need to provide tenants with a copy of the UK government published ‘Information Sheet’ on or before 31 May 2026.

“This will be published in March 2026. The information sheet must be given to all tenants named on a tenancy agreement. It can be provided electronically or in hard copy.”

Landlords don’t use older, non-compliant agreements

A spokesperson for the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) tells Property118 that landlords must not use older-non compliant tenancy agreements.

The spokesperson said: “The Renters’ Rights Act introduces important new requirements on what needs to be included in tenancy agreements from 1 May 2026 onwards.

“It is crucial that landlords take steps to ensure they don’t use older, non-compliant agreements, as failure to comply with these changes means there is a strong likelihood that they will be fined.

“For existing tenancies that are already in writing, landlords won’t need to draft an entirely new agreement or replace the current contract. Instead, they must provide tenants with the Government’s official information sheet outlining the changes.”