The 31 May 2026 Information Sheet Deadline — What Every English Landlord Must Do This Week
By 31 May 2026, every English landlord with a tenancy that began before 1 May must serve the new Government Information Sheet on each tenant. The penalty for missing the deadline is up to £7,000 per offence.
The 31 May 2026 deadline has passed.
If you haven’t yet served the Information Sheet on every pre-1 May 2026 tenant, do so immediately. Late service is better than no service — see “What if you’ve already missed it?” below.
What is the Government Information Sheet?
Section 3 of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 amends Section 21A of the Housing Act 1988 to replace the existing “How to Rent” guide with a new Government Information Sheet from 1 May 2026. The new Sheet sets out the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords under the post-RRA regime.
The Government publishes the current version of the Sheet on GOV.UK. Landlords don’t write the content — they serve a copy of the Government’s published version on each tenant, alongside the deposit prescribed information and other documents at the start of (or in the case of existing tenancies, during) the tenancy.
Failure to serve the Sheet has two consequences. First, you cannot rely on Section 8 possession grounds until the Sheet has been served. Second, the council can impose a civil penalty of up to £7,000 per offence.
Who has to serve it, and by when?
Every English landlord with a private assured tenancy (AST or post-RRA periodic tenancy) needs to serve the Sheet. The deadline depends on when the tenancy started.
| Scenario | Deadline | Penalty for missing |
|---|---|---|
| New tenancies starting from 1 May 2026 | At the start of the tenancy | Blocks Section 8 grounds; civil penalty up to £7,000 |
| Existing tenancies (pre-1 May 2026) | 31 May 2026 | Blocks Section 8 grounds; civil penalty up to £7,000 |
| Renewals after 31 May 2026 | At the renewal date | Blocks Section 8 grounds; civil penalty up to £7,000 |
How to serve it — the 4-step checklist
- 1
Download the current Information Sheet from GOV.UK
Always use the latest version published by Government. The link is gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent.
- 2
Serve a copy on every tenant
By email (best practice: request a read-receipt) or by post (recorded delivery). One copy per named tenant. For HMOs with separate tenancies, serve each tenant individually.
- 3
Keep proof of service
A signed acknowledgement, a read-receipt, or a recorded delivery slip. Without proof you can’t defend a future enforcement action — keep the evidence with the rest of the tenancy file.
- 4
Generate the cover note in DocuTenant
Record the date served, tenant name, property address, and method of service. Your audit trail stays tidy and the compliance dashboard flags it as done. Generate the cover note free →
What if you’ve already missed it?
The penalty isn’t automatic. It depends on enforcement action by the local council or, in some cases, by the tenant. The fact that you’ve missed the deadline doesn’t mean an inevitable £7,000 fine — it means you’re exposed if a tenant raises the issue or a council reviews your file.
Serve the Sheet now, even if late. Late service is materially better than no service. It demonstrates a good-faith attempt to comply and reduces the enforcement risk. Keep proof of service from the date you finally serve.
If a tenant has already raised the issue formally — in writing, or via the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman — get tailored legal advice before responding. For everyone else, the priority is: serve, log it, file the proof.
DocuTenant’s compliance dashboard will flag the missed deadline so it doesn’t get forgotten on the next tenancy, and the cover note keeps your audit trail in one place.
DocuTenant’s full RRA compliance toolkit
The Information Sheet cover note is one of 47 documents DocuTenant generates for UK landlords. The whole catalogue is updated for the RRA 2025 and the Scottish PRT regime. Free signup, no card required.
AST tenancy agreement (post-RRA)
Periodic-only, Section 48 inline, obligation toggles, advance rent prohibition.
View templateSection 8 notice (Form 3A)
All 37 grounds, correct post-RRA notice periods, UC exception logic.
View templateRent increase notice (Form 4A)
52-week cap, 2 months’ notice, tribunal upper-limit wording.
View templateDeposit prescribed information
Custodial / insured scheme variants, relevant persons, 5-week cap warning.
View templatePet consent process
28-day response window, reasonable-grounds wording, no pet-insurance demands.
View templateFrequently asked questions
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Sources
Every statute, form and scheme named above, linked to the primary source.
- Renters' Rights Act 2025 — legislation.gov.uk
- Housing Act 1988 — legislation.gov.uk
- Assured tenancy forms, including Form 3A and Form 4A — GOV.UK
- Government Information Sheet and the How to Rent guide it replaced — GOV.UK
Stay compliant for every tenancy, not just this deadline
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