Our Journal

We highlight the ‘need to knows’ from today’s announcement

With much speculation still surrounding the Renters’ Rights Act before it comes into force on May 1st, today’s update is best understood as a staging post rather than the final switch-flick.

On 20th March 2026, the Government published the new (draft) assured tenancy forms that will sit behind the incoming reforms taking place from 1st May 2026, along with a useful information sheet outlining all the important facts. These have been released now so landlords, agents and tenants can see what will be required from May, when the first phase of the new system comes into force. It’s important to note that these are preview documents only for now and not to be completed or served, yet. Fully usable versions will be published on or before 1st May.

So, whilst headlines suggest immediate change, the real story is a little more practical. Between now and the May deadline, the residential lettings sector has a window to get its paperwork, revised workflows and communications in order.

What has changed today?

The most immediate development is the publication of the new tenancy forms that will be used once the reforms begin. These include the updated possession notice and other prescribed forms linked to the assured tenancy regime that will replace assured shorthold tenancies in England from 1st May 2026.

The Government has also now confirmed the written information that landlords and agents will need to give tenants under the new regime. For any new tenancy created on or after 1st May 2026, certain key terms must be given to the tenant before the tenancy is agreed. That information can sit within the tenancy agreement itself or be provided separately, but it must be given before signing or before the tenancy is otherwise agreed. If not, the tenant can lodge a complaint to the local authority, and if upheld, can result in a fine of up to £7,000.

What happens on 1st May?

From 1st May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) will be abolished in the private rented sector in England, and Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will end, with all existing ASTs becoming Periodic Tenancies. The new forms published today will become the live versions used for tenancy processes from that date.

That same reform package also reshapes the wider lettings landscape. The Government’s published guidance confirms a move toward a simpler assured periodic tenancy system, alongside changes that affect how rents are proposed, how possession is pursued, and how prospective tenants are treated. The wider Act also outlaws rental bidding above an advertised asking rent, restricts landlords to requiring no more than one month’s rent in advance before a tenancy begins, and strengthens protections against discriminatory practices affecting families with children and people who receive benefits.

What happens between now and 1st May?

This is the part that matters most in practice.

Nothing in the new documentation should be used yet. The forms published today are there to help the market prepare, not to trigger early change. Existing rules remain in place until 1st May 2026.

For landlords and agents, this is the time to review tenancy packs, onboarding documents, internal compliance steps and occupier communications. It is also the moment to check whether existing tenants will need the new Government information sheet by the end of May, or whether a fuller written summary of tenancy terms will be needed instead. The Government’s implementation roadmap makes clear that landlords and agents are being given this period to prepare for the reforms before they take effect.

For occupiers, the message is simpler: today is about clarity, not disruption. Existing rights and obligations do not suddenly change because the forms have been published. What this does provide is a better sense of what the new framework will look like, and a clearer picture of what to expect in the coming weeks.

The new tenant documentation, explained properly

One of the more important updates sits around written information for tenants.

For new tenancies agreed on or after 1st May 2026, landlords will need to give tenants prescribed written information about the tenancy before it is entered into. This includes key terms and core legal information, and it can be incorporated into the tenancy agreement or issued as a separate document.

For existing tenancies, the position depends on what is already in place.

Where a tenancy was agreed before 1st May 2026 and there is already a written record of the agreement, landlords do not need to reissue the full written information. Instead, they must provide the Government’s Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 to every named tenant by 31st May 2026. That document has now been published, and it must be sent either as a hard copy or as a PDF attachment. A link on its own is not enough.

Where an existing tenancy was agreed verbally and there is no written record of the terms, the information sheet is not the answer. In those cases, landlords must provide the written information about the key terms of the tenancy instead, again by 31st May 2026.

That distinction is easy to miss, but it is likely to be one of the most important operational points over the next few weeks.

A point worth noting on possession notices

There is also an important transition rule for notices served before 1st May.

If a valid Section 8 or Section 21 notice is served before 1st May 2026 and is still live immediately before that date, the current system can continue to apply for a limited period. Court proceedings must be started either within the time still remaining on the notice or by 31st July 2026, whichever comes first. If proceedings are started in time, the existing forms can continue to be used until those proceedings conclude.

That means the move into the new regime is not entirely all at once, but it is still close enough now that preparation should not be left until the last minute.

Why this matters

For Landlord clients, this is a moment to be organised rather than alarmed. The legal framework changes on 1st May, but the work starts now: checking documents, refining processes and making sure occupiers receive the right information in the right way.

For residential tenant occupiers, this is ultimately about transparency. The next phase of reform is intended to make the rental framework easier to understand, with clearer paperwork and a more consistent set of rules. Between now and 1st May, the best outcome is not panic or overstatement, but better communication and a steadier understanding of what is actually changing, and when.

In other words, today is not the finish line. It is the point at which the preparation begins to be put into practice in readiness for the change.

Next steps

For landlords, whether we manage your property day to day or have simply helped secure the right occupier, this is exactly the kind of change we’re here to guide you through. Our experienced lettings team can advise on what needs attention before 1st May and what the new requirements mean in practical terms, giving you peace of mind that everything to do with your current, pending or future tenancy will be fully compliant

We’re also on hand for current and prospective occupiers who would like straightforward answers on how the incoming reforms may affect their tenancy, their application or their plans over the coming months. Tavistock Bow’s own Journal and lettings legislation pages frame this support as ongoing, practical and aimed at helping clients adapt with confidence as regulation evolves.

If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch as we’re here to help – complete the enquiry form at the foot of the page or email our team direct [email protected]