Landlords with relevant tenancies that started before 1 May 2026 were required to give tenants the official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026.
For landlords who missed that deadline, the important thing now is not to ignore the problem.
The requirement formed part of the first phase of the Renters’ Rights reforms, and failure to comply can expose landlords to enforcement action and a financial penalty of up to £7,000. (GOV.UK)
Who should have received the Information Sheet?
The requirement generally applied where the tenancy:
- was an assured or assured shorthold tenancy;
- started before 1 May 2026; and
- had a wholly or partly written record of the tenancy terms.
Landlords did not normally need to replace the existing tenancy agreement.
Instead, the official government-produced Information Sheet had to be supplied to the tenant.
A web link was not enough
One important detail is how the document had to be provided.
The tenant needed to receive the document itself, either:
- as a printed hard copy; or
- electronically as the actual PDF attachment.
Simply emailing or texting a link to a webpage was not sufficient.
Landlords should therefore check not only whether something was sent, but exactly what was sent.
What if the tenancy was completely verbal?
Different rules applied where the tenancy began before 1 May 2026 and there was no written record of the tenancy terms.
In those circumstances, the landlord was not simply expected to send the Information Sheet.
Instead, certain key tenancy information needed to be provided to the tenant in writing.
That distinction matters because landlords with older informal tenancies should not assume that sending the Information Sheet now resolves every issue.
What should a landlord do if the deadline was missed?
If the Information Sheet should have been supplied but was not, the first practical step is to correct the omission as soon as possible.
Landlords should:
- identify every tenancy that was in scope;
- confirm whether the tenant actually received the document;
- supply the official Information Sheet if it is still outstanding;
- retain evidence showing when and how it was sent; and
- review why the deadline was missed so the same problem does not occur again.
Late compliance does not automatically erase the earlier breach, but continuing to do nothing is unlikely to improve the position.
Where enforcement action is already threatened or underway, landlords may need specialist legal advice.
Keep proof of service
Record keeping is particularly important.
For each tenancy, landlords should retain:
- the tenant’s name;
- the property address;
- a copy of the Information Sheet supplied;
- the date it was sent;
- the method used; and
- evidence of delivery where available.
For email delivery, keep the sent email with the PDF attached.
For hand delivery or post, keep a written record of when the document was sent or delivered.
Do not assume your letting agent dealt with it
Where a letting agent manages the property, landlords should ask for evidence.
Do not simply accept “we sent everything out” without being able to confirm:
- which tenants received the document;
- the date it was sent;
- whether the correct version was used; and
- whether it was sent as a document rather than merely as a link.
Agents acting on behalf of landlords were also required to follow the new rules.
What about new tenancies?
Tenancies beginning on or after 1 May 2026 are dealt with differently.
Landlords need to provide certain tenancy information in writing, which may be included within a tenancy agreement or supplied separately.
This means landlords should not simply add the old Information Sheet procedure to every new tenancy without checking what information is actually required.
Check the rest of your 2026 paperwork at the same time
If the Information Sheet deadline was missed, that may indicate other processes have not been updated.
Use the opportunity to check:
- tenancy documentation;
- rent increase procedures;
- pet request procedures;
- rental advertising;
- deposit records;
- possession notices;
- rent-in-advance procedures; and
- agent instructions.
The Renters’ Rights reforms affected much more than one document.
How does the position differ elsewhere in the UK?
The Information Sheet requirement discussed here applies to England.
Wales operates under the Renting Homes framework and occupation contracts.
Scotland uses Private Residential Tenancies.
Northern Ireland has its own tenancy-information requirements.
Landlords with properties in more than one part of the UK should therefore maintain separate procedures for each jurisdiction.
Correct the problem and improve the system
Missing a compliance deadline should trigger a review rather than simply become another unresolved item in the property file.
Find the affected tenancies, supply the required information, keep evidence and make sure future tenancy administration is based on the post-May 2026 rules.
NetRent’s Landlord Legal Updates will continue to explain important changes affecting landlords, letting agents and tenants across the UK.
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Important information
NetRent does not provide legal advice. The articles represent our understanding of rental property law and are for general information only.