Are 1 May and 31 May both marked in red on your calendar? If not, then grab your marker now. The most significant changes to the private rented sector in decades come into force from May 1. If you fail to provide the necessary paperwork to tenants by 31 May, you could face a £7,000 fine.
Download the government’s information sheet
The most significant changes in the act are explained to tenants in the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026, published by the government in March. This isn’t just a helpful crib sheet for tenants but also an essential legal requirement to be provided by you to tenants.
You won’t have to update or change existing tenancy agreements after May 1. Instead, you must provide tenants with a copy of the information sheet, which explains the changes and your new responsibilities to them.
However, as well as ensuring you provide the document by the end of May, how you provide it is also important. You must provide the government’s exact PDF; there’s no rewording or rebranding this document.
It should be downloaded from the government website and provided either as a printed hard copy, which can be handed over in person or sent by post, or as a PDF attachment sent via email or text. Beware that the government says that simply providing a link to the PDF won’t be valid – instead, it must be downloaded and attached.
Other requirements surround who receives the information sheet. It should be provided to every tenant named on the tenancy agreement. If you use a letting agent to manage the property on your behalf, they must also provide a copy of the sheet, even if you have already done so.
If the existing agreement is based entirely on a verbal agreement made before 1 May, then it must be translated into written information about the tenancy by the end of May.
Have clarity about your plans for your rental property
The abolishment of Section 21 means that legal, evidenced grounds must now be used to regain your property, such as if you want to sell or move in or if a tenant has behaved in an antisocial or illegal manner. Combined with the new periodic tenancy structure, it means that thinking about your plans for the property in the near term is essential, especially since new notice periods will now apply.
Understand local market rents
You should also ensure that your rent is set at the right level. After May 1, rent review clauses within existing tenancy agreements will no longer be enforceable. Instead, rents can only be increased with a Section 13 notice and at least two months’ notice. They can also only be increased once a year.
They must also be comparable to local market rates and supporting evidence is again required. If a tenant feels the increase is too steep, then the Renters’ Rights Act gives them additional power to appeal.
Still not feeling ready? We can help you understand your obligations and the existing rental market in your area and prepare you for May 1.
Proctors is an independent network of individual estate agent businesses with branches in Beckenham, Bromley, Park Langley, Petts Wood, Shirley and West Wickham. We’ve been buying, selling and letting in these areas since 1946. Get in touch to find out how we can help you with your property requirements.