Who must receive the Information Sheet?
From 1 May 2026, the Renters Rights Act changes how assured shorthold tenancies work in England. If you had an existing tenant on a written AST signed before 1 May 2026, you must give them the government’s official Renters Rights Information Sheet — the exact PDF from GOV.UK — The Renters' Rights Act: information sheet 2026, not a substitute.
Start with our Renters' Rights Act 2026 hub for every May 2026 deadline, penalties and how LetCompliance tracks each item. This article zooms in on service and evidence.
Deadline and penalty
Deadline: 31 May 2026 for existing written tenancies predating 1 May 2026.
Penalty: Civil penalties of up to £7,000 are widely discussed for failure to provide the sheet; enforcement scenarios may involve higher figures if breaches are not remedied quickly. Always confirm the current statutory amounts on GOV.UK.
Do not wait. Serving early reduces dispute risk and gives you time to fix delivery problems.
GOV.UK: you must send the PDF, not “just a link”
GOV.UK states: you must give the exact PDF found at the top of the official publication page — you must not email or text only a link to the PDF to the tenant, as this will not be valid. That is stricter than many landlords assume: a forwarded GOV.UK URL without the file attached is high risk.
Practical takeaway: download the PDF from the publication, attach it (or hand over / post a printed copy), and keep your delivery evidence.
What counts as valid service
The tenant must receive the Information Sheet itself — the official PDF from the 2026 publication page.
Valid approaches include:
Not sufficient on its own:
If your tenancy agreement permits email for notices, that still does not remove the need for the tenant to receive the actual sheet.
Verbal tenancies and new lets (quick distinction)
Wholly verbal agreement before 1 May 2026: You do not send the Information Sheet. Instead, you must supply a written record of key terms (rent, landlord name and address, deposit, repair responsibilities) by 31 May 2026.
Tenancies starting on or after 1 May 2026: You must provide written information on key terms before the tenancy begins — in the agreement or separately.
The complete landlord checklist explains how these pieces fit with pets, Section 13 and possession strategy.
How to prove you served it
Courts and councils care about who, what and when. Build a file now:
Tip: One spreadsheet row is weaker than a timestamped product log. LetCompliance’s Information Sheet workflow records date and confirmation per tenant with a timestamp — useful when portfolios scale.
Agent and landlord split
If a letting agent serves documents, the landlord remains primarily liable unless the contract clearly allocates responsibility — but ambiguity helps nobody in enforcement. Align with letting agent compliance checklist duties and keep both landlord and agent copies of the same proof pack.
Next steps
[Track Information Sheet completion in LetCompliance →](/signup)
Frequently asked questions
Can I email the Renters Rights Act Information Sheet to my tenant?
Yes, if you send the exact PDF as an attachment so the tenant receives the file. GOV.UK states you must not email or text only a link to the PDF — that is not valid. Keep a copy of the sent email and the attachment version you used.
What counts as proof I served the Information Sheet before 31 May 2026?
Strong evidence includes: timestamped email with PDF attachment and the tenant address in the thread, signed hand-delivery receipt, tracked post proof, or a dated WhatsApp message with the file attached plus your internal log. The goal is to show who received what and when.
Do I send the Information Sheet if the tenancy was only verbal before 1 May 2026?
No. For wholly verbal pre–1 May 2026 agreements you must instead provide a written record of key terms (rent, landlord name and address, deposit, repairs) by 31 May 2026. Pair this with our related guides and the Renters' Rights Act 2026 checklist hub on LetCompliance for the full deadline table.