Tool · 31 May Deadline
RRA 2026 Information Sheet: How to Serve It Before 31 May
- Every assured tenancy in existence on 1 May 2026 must be served with the prescribed Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.
- The prescribed Sheet is a Crown publication on GOV.UK. You serve it verbatim — you do not draft your own.
- Valid service: in person, by post, or by email if the tenancy agreement explicitly permits electronic service. WhatsApp and SMS do not count.
- Keep proof of service for every tenant — certificate of posting, tracked-delivery confirmation, or read receipt. The Section 8 regime makes contemporaneous evidence a litigation asset.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 gives landlords a one-month window from commencement to serve the prescribed Information Sheet on every existing tenant. Missing it does not invalidate the tenancy, but it is a statutory breach that will be scrutinised at any future Section 8 possession hearing. There is no court route to cure late service — only fresh service plus a contemporaneous record of why it was late.
What the Information Sheet Is
The Information Sheet 2026 is a prescribed document under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. It tells your existing tenants what changed for them on 1 May 2026 — the conversion of their assured shorthold tenancy to an assured periodic tenancy, the abolition of Section 21, the new Section 8 grounds, the Form 4A rent-increase process, and their right to challenge increases at the First-tier Tribunal.
It is published by HM Government on GOV.UK and is the prescribed form. You do not draft your own version. You serve the Crown-published document, verbatim, on every existing tenant.
Who You Must Serve
Every tenant on a pre-1 May 2026 assured shorthold tenancy that is still in existence on 1 May 2026 — now automatically converted to an assured periodic tenancy under s.1 of the Act. If the tenancy has joint tenants, every joint tenant must be served.
New tenancies created on or after 1 May 2026 do not need a separate Information Sheet service — those are captured by the new prescribed-information regime at sign-up.
Valid Methods of Service
- In person. Hand the document directly to the tenant. Served at the moment of delivery — no ambiguity. Cleanest option, especially for tenancies where you already have a relationship.
- By post. First-class is deemed served on the second working day after posting; second-class on the fourth working day. Use Royal Mail Tracked 24 or Signed For and retain the receipt.
- By email — only if the tenancy agreement explicitly permits. A clause in the agreement allowing electronic service of notices is required. A casual practice of emailing the tenant does not count. Keep the sent email and any read receipt.
WhatsApp, SMS, voicemail, social-media messages, and leaving the document with a neighbour are not valid service.
Evidence to Keep
Under the new Section 8 regime, courts will scrutinise a landlord's full compliance record when assessing discretionary possession grounds. Keep the following with each tenancy file for the life of the tenancy plus six years:
- A copy of the prescribed Information Sheet as it appeared on GOV.UK at the date of service.
- Proof of service — Post Office certificate of posting, tracked-delivery confirmation, read receipt on an email, or a tenant-signed acknowledgement of in-person delivery.
- A dated cover letter naming the tenancy, the property, and the date of service. Optional but recommended.
Free download
How to Serve the RRA 2026 Information Sheet
Two-page PDF companion guide. The valid service methods with statutory authorities, the evidence to keep, and what to do if you've missed the 31 May deadline. Print and keep with your tenancy file.
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Tracking Service Across a Portfolio
If you have more than a handful of tenancies, the operational challenge is not the Sheet itself — it is proving you served the right document to the right tenant on the right date for every tenancy you manage. The Section 8 regime means that proof matters in a way it did not under Section 21.
Noticr tracks Information Sheet service across your portfolio: which tenancies have been served, when, by which method, and against which version of the prescribed Sheet. Free for up to five tenancies.
See how Noticr worksRelated guides
Renters' Rights Act 2025: Landlord Guide
What changed on 1 May 2026, what didn't, and the new s.14ZB tribunal cap most coverage missed.
No Form 4A, No Rent Increase
After 1 May 2026, raising rent without a Form 4A is unenforceable. The rule, the edge cases, and the transitional trap.
How to Serve a Section 13 Notice
Post vs personal vs email. Deemed-service dates. What to keep as proof, and for how long.
Form 4A Template UK 2026
The current form, the 2026 notice period change, and the four mistakes that void your notice before you serve it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to serve the RRA 2026 Information Sheet?
Every English landlord with a pre-1 May 2026 assured tenancy still in existence on 1 May 2026. The tenancy converted to an assured periodic tenancy on commencement, and the prescribed Information Sheet must be served on every tenant — including each joint tenant — by 31 May 2026. New tenancies created after 1 May 2026 are captured under a different prescribed-information regime at sign-up.
What is the deadline for serving the Information Sheet?
31 May 2026. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 sets a one-month window from commencement (1 May 2026) for landlords to serve the prescribed Information Sheet on every tenant whose tenancy was in existence on that date.
Can I serve the Information Sheet by email or WhatsApp?
Email is valid only if the tenancy agreement explicitly permits electronic service of notices. WhatsApp, SMS, and other messaging apps are not valid service. The reliable methods are in-person delivery, first-class post (deemed served on the second working day after posting), and second-class post (fourth working day). Keep proof of service — certificate of posting, tracked-delivery confirmation, or read receipt.
What if I miss the 31 May deadline?
Serve it late, immediately. The Act provides no curative mechanism, but a tenancy in compliance after the deadline is materially better than one that never serves. Keep a contemporaneous record of why service was delayed. Late service does not invalidate the tenancy but is a statutory breach with enforcement implications under the new Section 8 regime.
Do I have to use the prescribed government form, or can I write my own?
The prescribed form only. The Information Sheet is published by HM Government on GOV.UK and must be served verbatim. A bespoke substitute, however accurate its content, is non-compliant. Download fresh from GOV.UK before each serving — Crown publications are updated without notice.