Assured shorthold tenancies: documents to be served by 31 May 2026
From 1 May 2026, all existing assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) will automatically convert into assured periodic tenancies as “Phase 1” of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 comes into force. This marks a significant shift in the private rented sector, affecting (among other things) how landlords recover possession, how rent can be increased, rules around discrimination and tenants’ rights to keep pets.
To ensure tenants are aware of these changes, on 20 March 2026, the government published the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 (the “Information Sheet”).
What landlords must do now
Written (or partly written) ASTs
- Landlords must provide tenants with theInformation Sheet explaining the key changes introduced by the Act. Read more about this here.
- All tenants on the tenancy agreement must receive their own copy of the Information Sheet.
- The Information Sheet can be sent in hard copy by post or by hand or as a pdf attachment to an email or text message; a link to the document CANNOT be sent. A written record should be kept of how the Information Sheet was given to the tenants.
- If landlords use agents to manage the property, the agents must send the Information Sheet to the tenants, even if the landlord has also sent it.
Purely oral tenancies
Where the tenancy is entirely oral, landlords must instead provide a detailed written statement of terms
There is no prescribed template but regulations specify the required content, including:
- rent and other payments,
- how the landlord may end the tenancy, and
- the landlord’s statutory duties relating to the condition of the property.
Student tenancies (where student rents from a private landlord)
- Landlords must provide students with additional written notice that they may wish to rely on possession ground 4A, which permits landlords of student housing to be able to recover possession between 1 June and 30 September each year.
- Landlords who want to recover possession from students at the end of the 2025/26 academic year must also then serve not less than two months’ notice seeking possession between 1 May 2026 and 30 July 2026.
Why this matters
Failure to provide the Information Sheet or written statement of terms by 31 May 2026 will place the landlord in breach of the Act and may result in a civil penalty of up to £7,000.
Student landlords who do not provide notice of prior intention to rely on possession ground 4A by 31 May 2026 will not be able to rely on this ground.
Student landlords who do serve the notice of intention on time, but fail to serve a subsequent possession notice on time, will not be able to rely on ground 4A to secure possession at the end of the 2025/26 academic year.
Further changes
On 20 March 2026, the government also published draft new form notices for possession grounds and rent increases for use after 1 May 2026.
The government also updated the published information about the written statement of terms which, after 1 May 2026, will need to be given to the tenant before you sign a tenancy agreement or otherwise agree the tenancy. We will be producing a separate note on this shortly.
If you would like to discuss how these changes affect you, or need support ensuring compliance ahead of the deadline, please get in touch.
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