31 May 2026 deadline. Every private landlord in England must provide a Written Statement of Tenancy Terms to existing tenants by this date. Penalty: up to £7,000 per tenancy.
Compliance checklist
Renters' Rights Act 2025: What Landlords Must Do Before 31 May 2026
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the biggest change to landlord-tenant law in a generation. This checklist covers everything private landlords in England need to do — and what happens if you don't.
The Act abolishes fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies, removes the section 21 no-fault eviction power, and introduces a new mandatory Written Statement of Tenancy Terms. Most of these changes apply immediately on commencement. The Written Statement has a specific deadline of 31 May 2026 for existing tenancies.
There are approximately 4.6 million private landlords in England. If you have even one rental property, the checklist below applies to you.
The checklist
Provide the Written Statement of Tenancy Terms
Existing tenancies: by 31 May 2026. New tenancies: before the tenancy begins.
This is the single most time-sensitive compliance task. Under section 36 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025, every landlord must provide a Written Statement of Tenancy Terms to their tenant. It covers landlord details, tenant details, the property address, rent terms, deposit information, notice periods, and bills.
Up to £7,000 per tenancy for failure to provide.
Use RentCompliant to generate and deliver a compliant document in 2 minutes — £15.
Stop issuing fixed-term tenancy agreements
From the commencement date of the Act (already in force).
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolishes assured shorthold tenancies and fixed-term agreements. All new tenancies must be periodic (month-to-month or week-to-week). You cannot start a new fixed-term tenancy from commencement. If you have a solicitor or letting agent drafting agreements, ensure they are aware.
Invalid tenancy agreements may have unintended legal consequences.
Check that your tenancy agreement template is a periodic assured tenancy, not a fixed-term AST.
Review your grounds for possession
Ongoing from commencement.
The section 21 "no-fault" eviction has been abolished. You can now only regain possession of your property using one of the statutory grounds in Schedule 1 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025. These include arrears, antisocial behaviour, the landlord wishing to sell, and the landlord or a family member wishing to move in. Each ground has specific requirements and notice periods.
Serving a section 21 notice after commencement is invalid. Eviction proceedings on invalid grounds will fail.
Familiarise yourself with the Schedule 1 grounds. If you plan to regain possession, take legal advice on which ground applies.
Update your records with tenant email addresses
Before providing the Written Statement.
The Written Statement of Tenancy Terms must include a contact email address for each tenant. If you do not have email addresses for all tenants, you need to collect them. RentCompliant requires email addresses to deliver the document to tenants and capture delivery confirmation.
An incomplete Written Statement may not satisfy the legal requirement.
Collect email addresses from all tenants before generating the Written Statement.
Confirm your tenancy deposit is protected
Ongoing — must be protected within 30 days of receipt.
Tenancy deposit protection remains mandatory under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. You must protect the deposit with one of the government-approved schemes (DPS, MyDeposits, TDS) within 30 days of receiving it, and serve the prescribed information on your tenant. This requirement predates the Renters' Rights Act and continues under it.
Failure to protect a deposit can result in a penalty of 1–3× the deposit amount and prevents you from serving a valid notice under the Act.
Check that all deposits are protected and that tenants have received the prescribed information.
Review your landlord address for legal notices
Ongoing.
Under section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, you must provide your tenant with a postal address in England or Wales at which legal notices can be served on you. Rent is not lawfully due until this requirement is met. This address must appear in the Written Statement of Tenancy Terms.
Rent may not be legally owed until a valid address has been provided.
Ensure your Written Statement includes an England or Wales postal address for you as landlord.
Serve the How to Rent guide
At the start of each new tenancy (existing requirement).
The How to Rent guide is a government-produced document you are required to give tenants at the start of a tenancy. This requirement predates the Renters' Rights Act. The guide is updated periodically — you must serve the latest version. Check gov.uk for the current version.
Failure to serve the correct How to Rent guide prevents you from serving a valid possession notice.
Download and serve the latest How to Rent guide from gov.uk at the start of each tenancy.
The most urgent task — done in 2 minutes
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What Is the Written Statement of Tenancy Terms?
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Renters' Rights Act 2025 apply to all landlords in England?
It applies to all landlords letting property under an assured tenancy in England, which covers almost all private residential lettings. Wales has separate legislation.
Do I need to do anything if my tenancy started before the Renters' Rights Act came into force?
Yes. Existing tenancies are converted to assured tenancies and you must provide the Written Statement of Tenancy Terms to your tenant by 31 May 2026. The new notice period rules and grounds for possession also apply from commencement.
What is the deadline for existing tenancies?
The Written Statement must be provided to existing tenants by 31 May 2026. New tenancies require the statement before the tenancy begins.
Can I still use a fixed-term tenancy agreement?
No. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolishes fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies. All tenancies are now periodic (month-to-month or week-to-week). You cannot start a new fixed-term AST from the commencement date.
What are the new notice periods under the Renters' Rights Act?
Tenants must give a minimum of 2 months' notice to end a tenancy. Landlords who wish to regain possession must use one of the statutory grounds under Schedule 1 of the Act and give the required notice period for that ground.
Published by RentCompliant — landlord compliance made simple. rentcompliant.co.uk