1 Month to go before Renters Rights act commences!
What Landlords Must Have in Place by 1st May 2026: The 1st May 2026 is not just another regulatory milestone, it marks a fundamental shift in how residential lettings operate. The Renters’ Rights Act introduces a new compliance landscape, and landlords who are not fully prepared risk financial penalties and loss of control over their property.
As letting professionals working at the forefront of legislative change, we are already seeing where landlords are most at risk. This guide sets out, clearly and practically, what must be in place before the deadline and what separates compliant landlords from those heading into difficulty.
The Written Statement vs The Tenant Information Sheet – Understanding the Difference
One of the most common areas of confusion, and risk, is the distinction between the Written Statement and the Tenant Information Sheet. They serve different legal purposes and apply in different scenarios.
The Written Statement (For New Tenancies)
From 1st May 2026, landlords must provide tenants with a Written Statement of Terms and prescribed information.
This must be:
- Provided before the tenancy is agreed or signed
- Issued for all new tenancies created on or after 1st May 2026
- Inclusive of all mandatory statutory information
This requirement applies regardless of how the tenancy is agreed. Even where terms are agreed informally, landlords must still ensure the required written information is provided at the outset.
The Renters Rights Act Information Sheet (For Existing Tenancies)
The Information Sheet is a government-prescribed document explaining how the new legislation affects tenants.
Landlords must:
- Provide it to tenants where the tenancy was created before 1st May 2026
- Ensure there is a written record of the tenancy terms
- Serve it to every named tenant by 31st May 2026
Failure to comply can result in fines of up to £7,000.
Important Exception
Where an existing tenancy has no written record of terms, landlords cannot rely on the Information Sheet alone. Instead, they must provide the required written tenancy information, bringing the tenancy into compliance.
Allen Residential Insight:
We are advising landlords to treat this as a process, not just a document. Service method, timing, and audit trail all matter just as much as the content itself.
2. A Fully Compliant Tenancy Structure
The Renters’ Rights Act is expected to abolish or significantly reform traditional fixed-term ASTs in favour of periodic tenancies.
Landlords must ensure:
- Their tenancy agreements reflect current legislation
- Any legacy agreements are reviewed and updated
- Clauses that could be deemed unfair or outdated are removed
Common risk:
Using old templates or “slightly updated” agreements downloaded online. These will not stand up under scrutiny. Update your agreements and paperwork in line with the changes to avoid non-compliance.
3. Lawful Grounds and Strategy for Possession
With the removal of “no-fault” evictions, landlords must rely on clearly defined statutory grounds.
By May 2026, landlords should:
- Understand which grounds apply to their circumstances (sale, moving back in, rent arrears, etc.)
- Hold documentary evidence to support any future claim
- Align tenancy management with these grounds from day one
Allen Residential Insight:
Possession is no longer reactive, it must be strategically planned from the outset of the tenancy. Using the an incorrect ground for possession after the 1st May carries fines.
4. Property Compliance - No Margin for Error
While many compliance requirements already exist, enforcement is expected to tighten significantly.
Landlords must have:
- Valid Gas Safety Certificate
- Up-to-date Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) meeting minimum standards
- Verified smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
These must not only be in place, but also:
- Properly documented
- Renewed on time
- Provided to tenants
Key shift:
Authorities are moving from reactive enforcement to proactive investigation. Gaps will be identified faster and fines are likely to be more common place. Landlords must ensure they have everything audited and correct.
5. A Clear Rent Review Process
The Act introduces stricter rules around rent increases.
Landlords need:
- A transparent, legally compliant rent review mechanism
- Evidence that increases are fair and in line with market rates.
- Proper notice procedures
Risk area:
Informal or poorly documented rent increases are likely to be challenged; and overturned. You must use the new section 13 notice and process from 1st May 2026.
6. Robust Tenant Communication and Record Keeping
Under the new framework, evidence is everything.
Landlords must be able to demonstrate:
- When documents were served
- How tenants were communicated with
- That obligations were fulfilled correctly
This includes:
- Email trails
- Signed acknowledgements
- Digital audit logs
Allen Residential Insight:
In disputes, the landlord with the best records wins, not the one who believes they “probably did it.” The emphasis on detailed record keeping will be heightened with the Act, and landlords will need to adapt. Follow up any conversations in writing to tenants to ensure evidence.
7. A Defined Management Strategy for Self-Managing Landlords
The complexity of compliance has increased to the point where informal self-management carries real risk.
By 1st May 2026, landlords should have:
- A structured system for compliance tracking
- Defined processes for serving documents
- Professional oversight where needed
This doesn’t necessarily mean full management, but it does mean professional-grade systems.
Why Many Landlords Will Fall Short
From our experience, the landlords most at risk are:
- Those relying on outdated knowledge
- Those managing properties “as they always have”
- Those unaware of how procedural compliance has changed
The legislation is not just introducing new rules, it is raising the standard of proof required from landlords.
Our Professional Recommendation
If you are not prepared, prepare now!
The landlords who will succeed under the new system are already:
- Auditing their tenancies
- Updating documentation
- Implementing compliant processes
- Keeping up to date of the changes
Those who delay will find themselves reacting under pressure, with limited options and increased exposure.
The Renters’ Rights Act is designed to professionalise the private rented sector. Whether landlords agree with it or not, the direction is clear, and that is greater accountability, greater transparency, and stricter enforcement.
The question is no longer whether to adapt, but how quickly.
Therefore, if you would like a free informal no-obligation discussion around the Act or your investment, please feel free to contact the Paulton office on (01761) 412 300 or the Wells office on (01749) 672 678 or email lettings@allen-residential.co.uk
You may just save yourself from potential fines.
