Date Published 20 March 2026
The government has now released what it's calling the official Information Sheet that must be given to tenants — and it's something landlords (and agents) need to take seriously.
This document has been introduced as part of the Renters' Rights Act changes and is designed to explain to tenants how their tenancy is affected by the new legislation.
But importantly, it also places a legal obligation on landlords and letting agents.
Who is responsible for giving it to tenants?
If you're a landlord working with a letting agent (like us), the responsibility sits with the agent to ensure the Information Sheet is served — even if you've already provided it yourself.
This is another example of where having a managing agent in place removes risk and ensures compliance is handled properly.
When does this apply?
You must provide the Information Sheet if the tenancy:
Is an assured or assured shorthold tenancy
Was created before 1st May 2026
Has any form of written terms (including a tenancy agreement)
And here's the key deadline 👇
👉 You must serve this by 31st May 2026
Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £7,000 — so it's not something to overlook.
What exactly do you need to do?
A copy of the Information Sheet must be given to every tenant named on the agreement.
It must be the official government version — you can't recreate or adapt it.
You can serve it in one of two ways:
Provide a printed copy (by hand or post).
Send it electronically as a PDF attachment (email or message)
⚠️ Simply sending a link is not valid — this is a key detail many landlords will miss.
Do you need to update tenancy agreements?
No — the legislation doesn't require you to reissue or amend existing tenancy agreements.
However, if you have a tenancy that was agreed verbally only (with no written terms), you cannot use the Information Sheet.
In those cases, you'll need to provide written confirmation of the key tenancy terms instead.
My advice to Poole landlords.
This is exactly the type of change that catches self-managing landlords out — small detail, but with a big financial consequence if missed.
We're already putting systems in place to make sure all of our landlords are fully compliant ahead of the deadline, without any stress or last-minute panic.
If you're unsure whether this applies to you, or you'd like help getting everything in order, feel free to get in touch, email me on poole@lewisdean.co.uk .
