The Written Statement of Terms under the Renters’ Rights Act

Section 12 of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduced a new requirement for landlords and letting agents in England to issue a written statement of terms to their tenants before the tenants sign new tenancy agreements on or after 1 May 2026.

This obligation came into effect on 1 May 2026, and affects all new Housing Act 1988 tenancy agreements (other than those for social housing) entered into from 1 May, which are called “assured periodic tenancies”.

The details of what landlords and letting agents need to include in the Written Statement of Terms are set out in this statutory instrument, together with guidance.

In this blog post, I explain the rules relating to the new Written Statement of Terms, and break down what must be included in the statement.

I cover the Written Statement of Terms, and the on-going obligations under the Renters’ Rights Act in my best-selling book, The Good Landlord Handbook.* If you have questions, you can ask me at twice-monthly livestreams in my membership, The Independent Landlord Hub.

I keep this blog post updated.

Note that these rules only apply to Assured Periodic Tenancies, regulated by the Housing Act 1988. They do not apply to high rent tenancies (annual rent above £100k), agreements with lodgers, leases to companies and tenancies regulated by the Rent Act 1977.

>> Related Post: Renters’ Rights Act: Transition rules for existing tenancies in 2026

What is the Written Statement of Terms?

Since 1 May 2026, private landlords and letting agents have been required to give tenants certain written information about key terms of an assured periodic tenancy before the agreement is entered into or agreed. This is called the “Written Statement of Terms”.

In simple terms, it’s the compulsory information and terms that landlords need to give tenants before tenants commit to the tenancy. Although it can be provided in a standalone document, the easiest way is to include it in the tenancy agreement, which is the approach I have taken with the assured periodic tenancy templates in my membership, The Independent Landlord Hub.

Landlords and letting agents should make sure the tenant has enough time to read it before signing it.

If landlords fail to issue the Written Statement of Terms before the tenancy is entered into, the local authority may impose a civil penalty of up to £7,000.

>> Useful Resource: Government summary of Written Statement of Terms

>> Related Post: Rules for entering into new Assured Periodic Tenancies from 1 May 2026

The Written Statement of Terms Regulations 2026

The content for the Written Statement of Terms is set out in this statutory instrument: The Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026, or Written Statement of Terms Regulations for short.

The Schedule of the Written Statement of Terms Regulations specifies what needs to be in a Written Statement of Terms.

What needs to be in the Written Statement of Terms?

Here is a summary of what needs to be in the Written Statement of Terms, according to the Written Statement of Terms Regulations, with sub headings, to break it down.

However, when drafting your written statement, do refer to the actual wording in the regulations.

If you are looking for a template standalone Written Statement of Terms, I provide one for members of my membership, The Independent Landlord Hub. However, as mentioned above, I have also incorporated the Written Statement of Terms in the standard new Assured Periodic Tenancy templates available in the Hub.

It is now standard practice for APTs to include the Written Statement of Terms, avoiding the need for a separate document.

This is a summary of the statements that need to be in the Written Statement of Terms for all assured periodic tenancies in the private rented sector that are entered into on or after 1 May 2026:

1. Details of the parties

• Landlord’s details: Full name of the landlord(s).
• Address for service: An address in England or Wales where the tenant can serve notices on the landlord (ie as per Section 48 Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, and can be the address of their letting agent or a service address).
• Tenants’ details: Names of each of the tenants.

2. Tenancy terms

• Start date: The date the tenancy begins, when the tenants can move into the property.
• Rent: The amount of rent payable and when it is due. (Note that the rent period cannot be longer than one calendar month).
• Bills: If the landlord charges the tenant for bills, the statement must state whether it is part of the rent, or is payable on top of the rent. If bills are paid to the landlord in addition to the rent, the written statement must say:
  • each amount payable or an explanation of when and how the tenant will be notified of the amount of each payment, and
  • when each payment is due or an explanation of when and how the tenant will be notified of the due date of each payment.
• Rent increases: A statement explaining that if the landlord wishes to increase the rent, they must propose the new rent by serving a notice in accordance with section 13 of the Housing Act 1988.
• Deposit: The amount of any tenancy deposit.

3. Ending the tenancy

• Tenant notice to quit: The minimum notice period the tenant must give to serve a notice to quit to terminate the tenancy.
• Possession by landlord: A statement explaining that the landlord can only end the tenancy by applying for and obtaining an order for possession, and the order being executed. To apply for the order, the landlord will need to have served on the tenant a notice of proceedings for possession in the prescribed form, specifying the ground or grounds for possession being used, with the notice period depending on the relevant ground(s).

4. Safety and compliance information

• Fitness for human habitation: The landlord is under an obligation to ensure the property is fit for human habitation in accordance with Section 9A of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985:
• Repairs: The landlord has an obligation to do the following to the extent required by Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985:
  • keep in repair the structure and exterior (including drains, gutters and external pipes)
  • keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the property for the supply of water, gas and electricity and for sanitation (including basins, sinks, baths and toilets, but not other fixtures, fittings and appliances for making use of the supply of water, gas or electricity)
  • keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the property for “space heating and heating water”.
• Electrical Safety: The landlord has an obligation to ensure electrical safety standards are met during the tenancy, installations are tested “at least every 5 years” or earlier if the most recent report gives an earlier date, and supply a copy of the report (the EICR or Electrical Installation Condition Report), to the tenant.
• Gas Safety: The landlord has an obligation to maintain gas fittings/flues in safe condition, have them checked annually, and provide a record to the tenant.

5. Tenant rights

• Pets: The tenant has a right to request a pet, if they ask in accordance with the process in section 16A of the Housing Act 1988, the landlord consents and “such consent is not to be unreasonably refused by the landlord”.
• Disability Improvements: Information about the tenant’s right under Section 190 of the Equality Act 2010 to apply to make improvements for a disabled person, and that the landlord cannot unreasonably withhold consent.

Did existing tenants with ASTs need a Written Statement of Terms?

No. Landlords and letting agents did not need to provide a Written Statement of Terms to tenants with assured shorthold tenancies entered into before 1 May 2026, if:

• There was a written record of the tenancy agreement (whether the tenancy was wholly or partly in writing) between the landlord and the tenants. For instance, there was an assured shorthold tenancy agreement in place, or written record of the key terms.
• The tenancy agreement was entered into (ie signed by both parties) before 1 May 2026 (so it’s an “existing agreement” in place before 1 May).

Instead, they were required to provide existing tenants as of 1 May 2026 a copy of the official government-produced Information Sheet, which explained how the Renters’ Rights Act may affect their tenancy. They needed to have done this by 31 May.

The Good Landlord Handbook

Buy from Amazon* Buy from Waterstones*

The Information Sheet (for pre-1 May 2026 written ASTs)

What was the Information Sheet?

The Information Sheet is the term used to describe the “information in writing about the changes made by this Act which is required to be given by regulations made by the Secretary of State” that private landlords need to provide tenants with “an existing tenancy that is wholly or partly in writing” within one month of the Commencement Date, ie 31 May 2026. (See Schedule 6, Para 7, Renters’ Rights Act).

This was a standard document produced by the government for landlords to serve on their tenants by 31 May 2026. The government guidance says the Information Sheet could be provided electronically, eg by email or by sending a link, or in hard copy.

I go into the Information Sheet in more detail in this post: The Information Sheet: What landlords need to know.

>> Related Post: Renters’ Rights: What landlords must do by 31 May 2026

What if my tenants didn’t have a written tenancy agreement?

If an existing tenancy as of 1 May 2026 was a wholly oral / verbal agreement without any written terms or a written tenancy agreement, the landlord or letting agent had a legal obligation to serve a Written Statement of Terms by 31 May 2026, or risk a civil penalty of up to £7,000.

This is instead of the Information Sheet.

However, if the tenancy was partly in writing, then the landlord needed to serve the Information Sheet.

Did landlords need to “re-paper” or reissue tenancy agreements before 1 May?

No. So long as landlords had a written AST in place (or had the terms partly or wholly in writing) before 1 May 2026, landlords did not need to “re-paper” or reissue tenancy agreements to tenants. Landlords also did not need to amend their existing AST to reflect the Renters’ Rights Act.

For instance, landlords did not need to remove a rent review clause in an existing AST or insert a clause referring to rent increases being pursuant to Section 13 of the Housing Act.

Landlords only needed to serve the Information Sheet mentioned above, by 31 May. (Note that if you wish to use Ground 4A to recover possession for an HMO with full-time students, landlords also needed to issue a written statement to this effect by 31 May).

Be aware that if a landlord and a tenant enter into a new Assured Periodic Tenancy agreement on or after 1 May 2026 to replace a pre-1 May AST, that tenancy will lose its status as an “existing tenancy”, and will not benefit from the transition arrangements for existing tenancies.

It is possible, however, to amend an existing AST to reflect the changes in the Renters’ Rights Act by an addendum, but this is not necessary.

>> Related Post: Renters’ Rights Act: Transition rules for existing tenancies in 2026

* I’m an Amazon Associate, and I earn from qualifying purchases