RRA Information Sheet — the 31 May 2026 deadline explained

One of the most urgent obligations introduced by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 has a hard deadline: 31 May 2026. If you have existing tenants and haven't yet served them the new RRA Information Sheet, you have 19 days to act. Here's everything you need to know.

What is the RRA Information Sheet?

The RRA Information Sheet is a government-published document that explains to tenants their rights and protections under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. It replaced the How to Rent guide, which was withdrawn on 1 May 2026 when the Act came into force.

Like the How to Rent guide before it, the RRA Information Sheet is a prescribed document — meaning it is written by the government and landlords must serve it exactly as published. You cannot edit it, paraphrase it, or substitute it with your own summary.

Why does it matter legally?

Serving the RRA Information Sheet is not optional. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025:

• Failure to serve it is a breach of your legal duties as a landlord
• Fines of up to £7,000 for a first failure to provide it
• Fines of up to £40,000 if non-compliance continues beyond 28 days
• You may be prevented from serving a valid Section 8 possession notice until the document has been properly served

That last point is particularly significant. If you ever need to recover possession of your property — whether for rent arrears, to sell, or to move in — you may find your notice is invalidated simply because you never served a single document.

Who needs to serve it and when?

New tenancies from 1 May 2026 onwards: You must serve the RRA Information Sheet before or at the start of every new tenancy. It should be given to the tenant alongside the tenancy agreement.

Existing tenancies — the 31 May 2026 deadline: For tenancies that were already running on 1 May 2026, you must serve the RRA Information Sheet on all existing tenants by 31 May 2026. This applies to every existing tenancy regardless of when it started or how long it has been running.

The deadline is firm. There is no grace period beyond 31 May 2026.

How do you serve it?

The document must be given to the tenant. Acceptable methods:

• Email — as a PDF attachment. Keep the sent email as proof.
• Post — keep a copy of the letter and certificate of posting
• Hand delivery — ask for a signed acknowledgement
• Upload to a portal the tenant can access

Critically — keep proof of service. The legal benefit of serving the document depends entirely on your ability to prove you did it. An email with no record, a verbal statement, or a claim that "I mentioned it" is not sufficient. You need a dated record showing the document was provided to the named tenant.

Where do you get the current version?

The RRA Information Sheet is published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on GOV.UK. Always download the document directly from the official source — do not use a copy circulated by a third party that may be outdated.

The current version is dated May 2026. The government may update it periodically — you are required to serve the current version, not an outdated one.

What about verbal tenancies agreed before 1 May 2026?

If a tenancy was based entirely on a verbal agreement made before 1 May 2026, slightly different rules apply. Rather than just serving the Information Sheet, you must provide the tenant with written information about the key terms of the tenancy. The Written Statement of Terms covers this requirement — but you should seek advice if you are unsure about your specific situation.

How do I know if I've served it?

This is where record-keeping becomes critical. You should have:

• A dated record of when the document was served
• The method of delivery
• The name of the tenant it was served to
• Ideally — a copy of the email, a signed acknowledgement, or a delivery receipt

If you cannot evidence service and a dispute arises — whether at tribunal, with a local authority, or in a possession claim — you may be treated as having not served it at all regardless of what you believe happened.

What LandlordLite does

LandlordLite tracks the RRA Information Sheet status for every property and tenancy in your account. For properties with active tenancies where the document hasn't been served, you'll see a clear deadline countdown showing days remaining until 31 May 2026.

From inside the app you can download the current version directly from GOV.UK, mark it as served with a date and delivery method, and send it directly to your tenant as a PDF email attachment — with the delivery logged automatically against the tenancy record.

If you have multiple properties, the compliance overview shows you exactly which tenancies still need the document served — so you can work through them systematically before the deadline.

Act now — 19 days remaining

The 31 May deadline is 19 days away. If you have existing tenants who haven't received the RRA Information Sheet, this is the most urgent compliance task on your list right now. The fine is significant, the process is straightforward, and there is no good reason to miss it.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. The deadline and fine amounts referred to reflect the law as at 12 May 2026. Seek advice from a qualified solicitor or the NRLA if you are unsure about your specific circumstances.