Do I still need to give tenants the How to Rent guide?

No. GOV.UK withdrew the How to Rent guide on 1 May 2026. For a new tenancy in England you now give written information about the key terms before the tenancy is agreed.

The change came with the Renters' Rights Act, which also ended section 21 for most private tenancies in England. Many older checklists, letting packs and template agreements still list How to Rent, so it is worth checking yours. The rules below follow GOV.UK as checked on 16 October 2026.

What changed on 1 May 2026

What the written information covers

GOV.UK's guidance for landlords sets out the minimum. You do not have to use the legal wording, but each point must be covered. It includes:

• your name, any joint landlords, and a postal address in England or Wales where the tenant can send notices
• the names of all tenants, the property address and the start date
• the rent, when it is due, and that any rent increase will be by a section 13 notice
• which bills are included in the rent, and for bills the tenant pays you separately (from GOV.UK's list, such as council tax and utilities), how much and when
• the deposit amount, if you take one
• the notice the tenant must give to leave, which can be no more than two months
• that you can usually only end the tenancy with a possession order, using the correct form and grounds
• your duties on fitness for human habitation, repairs, electrical safety and, where there is gas, gas safety
• how the tenant can ask to keep a pet, and the rules on disability adaptations

Some possession grounds also need "prior notice" in writing at the start of the tenancy, for example for a student let. GOV.UK says this can be in any form of writing. Without it, ground 4A (properties let to students) cannot be used at all, and using the other grounds risks a fine of up to £7,000.

The deposit protection details are separate. They still have to reach the tenant within 30 days of receiving the deposit.

Steps for your next tenancy

1. Take How to Rent out of your letting pack and any email templates.
2. Check your tenancy agreement against the list above, or ask your letting agent to confirm theirs covers it.
3. Give the written information before the tenant signs or agrees the tenancy, not on move-in day.
4. Keep a dated copy of what you gave and how you sent it.
5. Protect any deposit and send the deposit information within 30 days.
6. For tenancies that started before 1 May 2026, check you gave the information sheet, or the written information for a verbal agreement, by 31 May 2026, and keep a dated record of what you gave.

What this means for you

How to Rent is no longer a duty for new tenancies, and handing it out can confuse tenants because it describes the old rules. What matters now is a written record of the key terms, given before the tenancy is agreed. GOV.UK says the fine for getting this wrong can reach £7,000, so a quick check of your paperwork is worth the time.

Use the free register deadline checker to see when your region joins the new landlord register, the free MTD check to see when Making Tax Digital starts for your rent, and the landlords section for more guides on letting in England.