Draft Written Statement Regulations Published

The government has published draft regulations setting out the information that must be included in the new "written statement of terms etc" for most private rented sector assured tenancies under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

This is an important milestone because the Renters' Rights Act introduces a new duty (via new section 16D of the Housing Act 1988) requiring landlords to ensure tenants receive a clear written summary of key tenancy terms and core statutory information before the tenancy is entered into (from 1 May 2026). The draft statutory instrument is titled The Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026.

Although these are draft regulations (with placeholders still shown for the final commencement date and the name/link of the government "information sheet"), they give a strong indication of the direction of travel ahead of the main tenancy reforms planned for 1 May 2026.

What the draft regulations do

The draft regulations do two main things:

1. They list the specific terms and information that must be included in the written statement for relevant assured tenancies (broadly, private rented sector assured tenancies where the new section 16D duty applies, excluding social housing assured tenancies).
2. They set a separate "information sheet" requirement for existing written tenancies entered into before commencement: instead of re-issuing an entire written statement, landlords would provide a government-produced information sheet explaining the changes made by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (again, excluding social housing assured tenancies).

The regulations will apply to an assured tenancy as follows:

• The full written statement is required for new tenancies from commencement.
• Wholly oral tenancies entered into before commencement will require a written statement containing this information during May 2026.
• The information sheet will be required during May 2026 for existing tenancies that already have something in writing.

What must be included in the written statement

The Schedule to the draft regulations sets out the required content. In broad terms, landlords will need to ensure the written statement covers:

1) The "who, where and when" basics

This includes:

• the landlord's name (and each joint landlord)
• the tenant's name (and each joint tenant)
• an address for service in England or Wales where the tenant can serve notices on the landlord
• the property address
• the date the tenant is first entitled to possession

2) Rent and "bills paid to the landlord"

The draft regulations require:

• the rent payable and when it is due
• a statement explaining that any rent increase proposal must be made using the section 13 process
• details of any relevant bill payments payable by the tenant to the landlord (whether included in rent or additional), including whether the amount/due date is fixed or how and when the tenant will be told.

The regulations define "relevant bill payment" broadly, including council tax, utilities, TV licence, communication services, and certain energy-efficiency-related payments (Green Deal).

3) Deposit amount (where deposit rules apply)

If the tenancy deposit protection requirements apply, the written statement must include the amount of any tenancy deposit.

4) Ending the tenancy: tenant notice and possession basics

The Schedule includes:

• the minimum notice period the tenant must give, where the relevant Protection from Eviction Act rules apply
• a statement explaining the security of tenure position -- that in most cases a landlord ends the tenancy via a court order for possession, and that the landlord will usually need to serve the prescribed notice stating the ground and giving the required notice period before starting proceedings.

5) Key landlord duties on property standards and safety

The draft also requires statements explaining key statutory duties, including:

• the duty to ensure the home is fit for human habitation (where applicable)
• the familiar section 11 repairing obligations (with specific listed exceptions where section 11 does not apply, has been modified by court order, or where right to manage arrangements apply)
• the landlord's duties under the electrical safety regulations (including periodic inspection/testing and providing the report to the tenant)
• the landlord's duties under the gas safety regime (where gas is present and the rules apply), including checks and provision of records.

6) Disability-related improvements and pets

Two other notable inclusions are:

• information about Equality Act 2010 section 190 (disabled occupiers and improvements), where the tenancy gives the tenant the right to make improvements with landlord consent
• a statement explaining the new position on pets -- that the tenant may keep a pet if they request and the landlord consents, and that consent must not be unreasonably refused.

There is also a requirement to flag where the tenancy is granted as supported accommodation, including an explanation of why it is granted as such.

What landlords and agents should do now

These regulations are still in draft, but they are detailed enough to start planning:

• Review your tenancy paperwork and onboarding process: make sure you can reliably capture the required information (rent, due dates, bill arrangements, service address, deposit amount, etc.).
• Check how you handle "bills": if tenants pay certain costs to the landlord (or via rent), think about how you will explain amounts, due dates, or how you notify changes.
• Prepare for the government "information sheet" for existing tenancies: the draft assumes a standard document produced by the Secretary of State will be issued and updated over time.

What happens next

We will update our written statement technical guidance for Guild subscribers, and Tenancy Builder will be updated with a new assured periodic tenancy (APT) containing the required information when the regulations are finalised.

For now, the key takeaway is simple: from commencement, the written statement becomes a structured, mandatory checklist of information -- not just "best practice". The draft regulations show exactly what that checklist is likely to contain, but it could change before being finalised.