31 May 2026 Landlord Deadline: The Renters Rights Act Information Sheet Explained
Landlords have until 31 May 2026 to give every existing tenant the new prescribed information sheet required by the Renters Rights Act. Miss it and certain possession notices become invalid. Here is what the sheet covers, how to serve it, and what happens if you miss the deadline.
Last reviewed by the Homedata editorial team — 6 May 2026
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The Renters' Rights Act 2026 requires landlords to give every assured tenant a prescribed information sheet. For existing tenancies — any tenancy in place before 1 May 2026 — the deadline is 31 May 2026. That is 25 days from today.
This matters not just as a compliance tick-box. Failure to provide the sheet invalidates certain possession notices. If you need to use Ground 1 or Ground 1A to repossess your property, and you have not given the tenant the information sheet, your Section 8 notice will not be valid.
What is the information sheet?
The information sheet is a prescribed Government document explaining tenants' rights under the new regime. It covers:
- The fact that Section 21 has been abolished and no-fault evictions can no longer happen
- The grounds on which a landlord can now seek possession (the Schedule 2 grounds)
- The rules on rent increases — once per year, via Section 13 notice, challengeable at the First-tier Tribunal
- The right to request repairs and the response times landlords must meet under Awaab's Law
- How to complain to the Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman
- Information about the new national Property Portal
The Government has published a prescribed form on GOV.UK's private renting resources page. Landlords must use the prescribed form — a summary document you draft yourself does not satisfy the requirement.
Who must receive it?
Every tenant named on an assured tenancy in England must receive the information sheet. Joint tenancies: all named tenants. Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs): each tenant on a separate agreement must each receive their own copy.
The requirement applies to assured tenancies only. Excluded occupiers and licence holders (some lodger arrangements) are outside scope. If you are unsure whether your arrangement is an assured tenancy, take legal advice — the distinction matters.
The 31 May 2026 deadline in detail
| Tenancy type | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Tenancy in place on 1 May 2026 (existing tenancies) | 31 May 2026 |
| New tenancy starting on or after 1 May 2026 | At or before the tenancy start date |
| New tenancy starting after a further updated information sheet is published | Must use the latest version — check GOV.UK before each new tenancy |
How to serve it
The method of service must comply with the tenancy agreement and with the Renters' Rights Act provisions. Acceptable methods:
- Hand delivery — give the document directly to the tenant and ask them to sign and date a receipt. This is the cleanest evidence.
- First class post — to the property address. Keep the certificate of posting (available at any Post Office counter, free of charge). The document is treated as served on the second working day after posting.
- Email — if the tenancy agreement permits service by email, or the tenant has expressly agreed to receive documents electronically. Keep proof: a read receipt or, at minimum, a copy of the sent email with a timestamp showing the recipient's address.
Do not rely on a text message or WhatsApp alone — these are unlikely to constitute valid service of a legal document.
What happens if you miss the deadline
Missing the 31 May deadline does not immediately void your tenancy or create criminal liability. The consequences are more targeted:
- Possession notices on Grounds 1 and 1A are invalid unless the information sheet has been provided. If you need to repossess to sell or occupy in the near future, this is the most immediate practical risk.
- Civil penalty risk. Local councils have enforcement powers under the Renters' Rights Act and can issue civil penalties to landlords who fail to comply with prescribed information requirements.
- Ombudsman complaints. Tenants can raise a failure to provide the information sheet as a complaint to the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman.
If you miss the deadline, provide the sheet as soon as possible. The possession notice invalidity is cured once the sheet is provided — you can then serve a valid notice.
The information sheet and the How to Rent guide: what's different
Many landlords are familiar with the How to Rent guide — a GOV.UK publication that must be provided at the start of each tenancy and when an updated version is published. The Renters' Rights Act information sheet is a separate, new requirement. Both documents are required; one does not replace the other.
| How to Rent guide | RRA information sheet | |
|---|---|---|
| When required | Start of tenancy + when new version published | Start of tenancy for new lets; 31 May 2026 for existing lets |
| Published by | MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) | MHCLG |
| Effect if not given | Cannot serve Section 21 (now defunct) / some Section 8 grounds | Cannot serve Grounds 1 or 1A |
Landlords with agents: who is responsible?
If you use a letting agent who manages the tenancy, check your management agreement. The obligation to provide the information sheet rests on the landlord, but a fully managed service agreement typically delegates prescribed information requirements to the agent. Confirm in writing that your agent has this covered — and by what date.
Agents operating under ARLA Propertymark or RICS should have firm-wide compliance procedures in place. If yours has not been in contact about the 31 May deadline, raise it now.
A checklist for the next 25 days
- Download the current version of the prescribed information sheet from GOV.UK.
- List every assured tenancy you hold in England. Include joint tenants separately.
- Choose a service method for each: hand delivery (preferred), post, or email (if permitted).
- Send or deliver by 31 May 2026 at the latest.
- Record the date and method of service for every tenant. Store records for at least 6 years.
- If you use an agent: confirm they are handling this and get written confirmation.
What this could look like as a portfolio tool
Prescribed information tracker concept
A property management platform could maintain a per-tenancy compliance checklist: How to Rent guide served (date), Deposit prescribed information served (date), RRA information sheet served (date). The Homedata property data API provides the underlying UPRN, address, and EPC rating for each property — a natural anchor for a compliance record. Landlords with 10+ properties would benefit from a dashboard that shows any tenancy where the information sheet has not yet been marked as served before the 31 May deadline.
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