Written Statement of Terms

A Written Statement of Terms is a new mandatory document that landlords must provide to tenants under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. It sets out prescribed information about the tenancy, the parties involved, and the rights and obligations of both landlord and tenant.

The government published draft regulations on 19 January 2026 confirming exactly what must be included in the Written Statement.

The requirements differ depending on when your tenancy starts:

New tenancies (starting on or after 1 May 2026):

• You must provide a Written Statement of Terms containing all prescribed information
• This must be given to the tenant before or at the start of the tenancy

Existing tenancies (started before 1 May 2026):

• You must provide a government-published Information Sheet to all tenants
• This must be provided by 31 May 2026

For tenancies starting on or after 1 May 2026, the Written Statement must include:

Party & Property Details:

• Full names of landlord and tenant
• Landlord's service address in England or Wales
• Property address
• Tenancy start date

Financial Terms:

• Rent amount and payment frequency
• Reference to Section 13 notice procedure for rent increases
• Which utilities/bills are included vs tenant-paid
• Deposit amount (if applicable)

Tenancy Duration & Termination:

• Statement that tenants must give 2 months' notice to end the tenancy
• Statement that landlords can only end tenancies via court order
• Information about the grounds for possession available to landlords

Landlord Statutory Duties:

• Duty to ensure property is fit for human habitation
• Section 11 repair obligations (structure, exterior, installations)
• Electrical safety requirements
• Gas safety requirements

Tenant Rights:

• Right to request disability-related adjustments
• Right to request permission to keep pets
• Whether property is supported (exempt) accommodation

For tenancies that started before 1 May 2026, landlords have a simpler requirement:

• The government will publish a standard Information Sheet in March 2026
• You must provide this Information Sheet to all tenants by 31 May 2026
• The sheet can be provided electronically or as a hard copy
• It must be given to all named tenants on the tenancy agreement
• It must also be given to any guarantors

The Information Sheet will summarise tenant rights and landlord obligations under the new regime.

• Civil penalties up to £7,000 for failing to provide a compliant Written Statement or Information Sheet
• Enforcement by local authorities
• Penalties may be higher for repeated breaches (up to £40,000)

• 19 January 2026: Draft regulations published
• March 2026: Government Information Sheet published
• 1 May 2026: Written Statement requirements come into force for new tenancies
• 31 May 2026: Deadline to provide Information Sheet to existing tenants and guarantors

For a complete timeline of all Renters' Rights Act changes, see our RRA Key Dates page.