1 May 2026: how to read your landlord's first communication under the new regime (a tenant decoder guide)

Today, 1 May 2026, the Renters' Rights Act takes effect across England. From this morning, every assured shorthold tenancy automatically converts to an assured periodic tenancy, Section 21 "no-fault" eviction is gone, and your landlord has thirty days — until 31 May 2026 — to give you a statutory Information Sheet explaining what's changed.

That deadline is the headline. But it isn't the only thing landing in your letterbox this month. Over the next few weeks, you can expect a small flurry of letters and emails — some from your landlord, some from their letting agent, some from third parties trying to look official. A handful are mandatory. Most are not. A few are sales pitches dressed up as compliance, and one or two might be quietly trying to claw back rights you've just been handed.

This guide decodes the eight communication types you're most likely to receive in May. For each, you'll know who sent it, whether you have to respond, what to check, and — crucially — what not to sign. We've also included three plain-English response templates, a worked example, and the five red flags that should make you stop and check before putting pen to paper.

We're on your side. You don't need to panic, and you don't need a solicitor. You just need to know which letters matter.

The eight kinds of letter you'll see in May

#	Type	Who sends it	Mandatory?	How to respond	Deadline
1	Information Sheet	Landlord or agent	Yes — they must send	Acknowledge in writing (Template A)	They must send by 31 May 2026
2	Deposit re-protection notice	Landlord or scheme	Sometimes	Check scheme reference; refuse any "top-up" demand	Check within 14 days
3	New tenancy agreement offer	Landlord or agent	No — never	Decline politely (Template B)	None — ignore the urgency
4	Section 13 rent review (Form 4A)	Landlord	Only if rent rising	Check form, gather comparables, consider tribunal	2 months' notice required
5	Repair quote / improvement notice	Landlord or contractor	Informational	Negotiate access timing	24 hours' written notice for entry
6	Section 8 possession warning	Landlord or solicitor	Serious — read carefully	Check ground; seek free advice	Varies by ground (2 weeks to 4 months)
7	Pet, insurance or inspection request	Landlord or agent	Mostly no	Confirm in writing only what is reasonable	Within reasonable time
8	"Sales pitch" dressed as compliance	Letting agent or third party	No	Decline (Template C)	None — ignore

Now let's go through each one in detail.

Type 1 — The Information Sheet (mandatory, deadline 31 May 2026)

What it is. A statutory document — the wording is set by government — explaining the new tenancy regime in plain English. It covers your rights under the assured periodic tenancy, how rent increases work, the abolition of Section 21, the grounds for possession under Section 8, and where to get help. Every existing tenant in England must receive a copy.

Why your landlord must send it. The Information Sheet is a legal duty under the Renters' Rights Act. If your landlord — or their agent — fails to give you a copy by 31 May 2026, your local council can issue a civil penalty of up to £7,000. That penalty is for each failure, so a landlord with three rental properties could face £21,000.

What to check when it arrives.

• Correct version. It must be the version published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). If yours looks home-made, screenshotted, or has the landlord's logo all over it, ask for the official one.
• Addressed to you. Your name and address should be correct. "The Tenant" or "Dear Sir/Madam" on a key statutory document is sloppy — ask for it to be reissued.
• Dated. The date the document was given to you matters because it proves whether your landlord met the 31 May deadline.
• Delivery method. Email is fine if your tenancy agreement allows electronic service. Post is fine. WhatsApp is risky — ask for a written copy.

How to respond. Acknowledge receipt in writing (use Template A below). This pins the serving date so neither party can argue later about whether it was sent on time. Save a copy to a dated cloud folder — Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, anything with a timestamp.

What you do not need to do. You do not have to sign anything. You do not have to confirm you've read it. You do not have to send anything back to the landlord beyond a simple acknowledgement.

Type 2 — Deposit re-protection notice

What it is. A letter or email confirming that your tenancy deposit has been re-registered with one of the three approved schemes — Deposit Protection Service (DPS), MyDeposits, or Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS).

Why some landlords need to do this. When your fixed-term tenancy converts to an assured periodic tenancy on 1 May, the deposit protection technically refreshes. Most schemes have automated this and will simply email you a new certificate. Some smaller landlords, especially those who self-manage, will write to you separately.

What to check.

• Scheme reference number. It should be a long alphanumeric string. Cross-check it on the scheme's website using their "is my deposit protected?" tool — every scheme has one.
• Prescribed Information. This is a one-page document listing the deposit amount, scheme details, dispute process, and your rights. It must be supplied within 30 days of any re-protection.
• Amount. It should match what you originally paid. To the penny.

Red flag — the "top up" demand. Some landlords are using the change of regime to ask for an additional deposit — "we're topping up to the new statutory cap" or "we need an extra month given the new rules." This is not lawful. The deposit cap under English law is 5 weeks' rent for tenancies where the annual rent is under £50,000 and 6 weeks' rent for higher-value tenancies. Your landlord cannot demand more than you originally paid unless your rent has gone up and you both agree in writing — and even then, only up to the cap. If you receive a top-up demand, refuse politely and keep the letter.

Type 3 — New tenancy agreement offer

This is the big one. And it's the most common trap.

What it is. Your landlord or their agent sends you a fresh tenancy agreement to sign. The covering email might say "we're updating your contract for the new regime," "this brings your tenancy in line with the law," or simply "please sign and return by Friday."

What's actually happening. Under the Renters' Rights Act, your existing assured shorthold tenancy converted automatically to an assured periodic tenancy at 00:01 on 1 May. You do not need a new agreement. The conversion happens by operation of law. You have all the rights of an assured periodic tenant whether you sign a new piece of paper or not.

Why the landlord might want you to sign. A new agreement gives them an opportunity to slip in clauses that:

• Lock you into a new fixed term (perhaps 12 months) — which the new regime does not require and arguably restricts your right to leave with two months' notice
• Add a "no pets" clause, when the new law gives you a right to keep a pet that the landlord cannot unreasonably refuse
• Demand quarterly or six-months-upfront rent — perfectly legal in some cases but often a way to filter out tenants who can't pay six months of rent in one go
• Insert "consent to rent increase" wording that bypasses the Section 13 process you're entitled to challenge
• Tighten access, inspection, or guest-stay rules beyond what the law allows

What to do. You do not have to sign. Politely decline using Template B below. If the landlord pressures you, remember: they cannot evict you for refusing to sign a new agreement when one isn't legally required, because Section 21 is gone. They would have to use a Section 8 ground, and "refused to sign new contract" isn't a ground.

If parts of the new agreement do genuinely improve things — for instance, lower rent, longer notice, a clearer repair clause — you can negotiate to keep just those parts. But always read it line by line before agreeing to anything.

Type 4 — Rent review notice (Section 13, Form 4A)

What it is. The formal notice your landlord must serve to increase your rent. From 1 May 2026 onwards, the prescribed form is Form 4A, not the old Form 4. The form must:

• Be in the prescribed Form 4A wording
• Give you at least 2 months' notice before the increase takes effect
• State the new proposed rent clearly
• Be served no more than once every 12 months

The big change. Under the new regime, if you challenge a Form 4A at the First-tier Tribunal, the tribunal cannot set your rent above the figure proposed by the landlord on the form. Under the old rules they could go higher than the landlord asked for, which scared many tenants out of challenging. That's gone. There is no longer a downside to challenging — the worst case is you pay what the landlord asked for anyway.

What to check.

• Right form. If the landlord serves a pre-RRA Form 4 dated on or after 1 May, it is invalid. They have to reissue on Form 4A. Do not sign anything in the meantime.
• 2-month notice. Count from the date of service to the proposed increase date. Less than two months and the notice is defective.
• Comparable evidence. Your landlord doesn't have to attach comparables, but if you challenge at tribunal, you will need them. Start collecting Rightmove and OnTheMarket listings for similar properties in your postcode now.
• Civil penalty risk for the landlord. Serving the wrong form (the old Form 4) on or after 1 May can trigger a civil penalty of up to £5,000 against the landlord. Do not point this out to them until after the deadlines pass — see "31 May 2026 deadline" below.

Free check. If you've received a Form 4A and you're not sure whether it's valid, run a free 2-minute check at https://www.rentsos.co.uk/check.

Type 5 — Repair quote or improvement notice

What it is. Your landlord — perhaps proactively — writes to say they need to do work on the property. Often it's a quote for boiler replacement, window upgrades, damp treatment, or insulation. Sometimes it's a notice that a contractor will be visiting on a specific date.

Why this is happening more. The Renters' Rights Act extends the Decent Homes Standard to private rented properties. Landlords who haven't kept up with maintenance now face a hard legal floor on property condition. Many are catching up — which is good news for tenants.

Your rights when they want access.

• 24 hours' written notice for any non-emergency inspection or work. A WhatsApp message ten minutes before they arrive is not 24 hours' written notice.
• Reasonable time of day. Generally that means working hours, not 8pm on a Sunday.
• You can negotiate timing. If the proposed slot doesn't work — you're at work, you have childcare, you have a meeting — you can offer alternatives. The landlord cannot insist on a time that doesn't suit you.
• Quiet enjoyment. Even with notice, the landlord cannot turn up daily for "inspections." Two or three visits a year is the norm.

The Section 21 connection. Under the old regime, tenants who complained about repairs sometimes received a "retaliatory" Section 21 eviction notice in response. That is no longer possible. Section 21 is abolished. So if you've been holding back on repair requests because you feared eviction, that fear no longer applies.

Type 6 — Section 8 possession warning

What it is. A Section 8 notice is the formal first step in a landlord asking you to leave. Under the new regime, Section 8 is the only eviction route. There are seventeen possible grounds, ranging from rent arrears (Ground 8) to the landlord wanting to sell (Ground 1A) to the landlord moving in themselves (Ground 1B).

Read carefully — but do not panic. A Section 8 notice is a legal document with a specific format. Many landlords get it wrong. A defective Section 8 cannot be used to evict you. Common errors:

• Wrong ground number cited
• Wrong notice period for the ground
• Missing the prescribed wording
• Missing the landlord's name and address
• Failing to attach evidence (e.g. proof of rent arrears for Ground 8)

The 12-month re-letting prohibition. Under the new regime, if a landlord uses Ground 1A (sale) or Ground 1B (landlord or family moving in) to evict you, they cannot re-let the property for 12 months afterwards. This is a major deterrent — many landlords will think twice before using these grounds for fake reasons. If you're evicted under 1A or 1B and then see the property re-let on Rightmove three months later, that's a civil penalty of up to £40,000 against the landlord, and you may have a claim for damages.

Where to get help. A Section 8 is the one letter on this list where you should get free professional advice straight away. Try Citizens Advice, Shelter (0808 800 4444), or your local council's housing options team. Do this within 48 hours of receiving the notice — do not wait.

Type 7 — Pet, insurance, or inspection request

What it is. A request from your landlord to do something — confirm whether you have a pet, take out tenants' insurance, allow an inspection, send updated photo ID, confirm who lives at the property.

Pet requests. Under the new regime, you have a right to request a pet, and the landlord cannot unreasonably refuse. They can require you to take out pet damage insurance (or pay them an equivalent amount as part of your rent — this is allowed under the new law and is the only way they can lawfully recover the cost). They cannot ban pets outright.

Insurance requests. Tenant's contents insurance is generally optional. Some agreements require it. Check your tenancy agreement — if it's not in there, you don't have to take it out.

Inspection requests. As with Type 5: 24 hours' written notice, reasonable time, two or three times a year is the norm. You don't have to be at home if you'd rather not be — most landlords are fine with you giving them the key for the agreed slot. If they want photographs taken of the inside of the property "for our records," you can decline. Photographs of your home are not standard inspection practice.

Updated ID and "right-to-rent" re-checks. Right-to-rent checks are a one-off at the start of the tenancy. Your landlord doesn't need to redo them annually unless your immigration status has a time limit (e.g. a visa expiry). If they're asking for new ID checks at random, treat it as Type 8.

Type 8 — Sales pitch dressed as compliance

What it is. A communication — usually from a letting agent or a third-party "tenancy services" company — that uses official-sounding language to push you to do something that benefits them, not you. Common examples:

• "Under the new Renters' Rights Act you must register on our tenant portal."
• "We need to redo your reference for the new regime."
• "The new law requires updated tenant ID — please complete the linked form."
• "All tenants must take out our recommended insurance product to comply with the Act."
• "Please confirm your bank details via the secure link below to continue rent collection."

None of these are mandatory. The Renters' Rights Act does not require tenants to register on portals, take out specific insurance products, redo references, or update bank details with letting agents. The portal request is a marketing funnel. The reference request is sometimes a precursor to an attempt to renegotiate your tenancy. The bank details request is occasionally a phishing attempt — never click a link in an unverified email and enter your bank details.

How to respond. Politely decline using Template C below, and ask for a clear written explanation of which specific section of the Act they believe requires what they're asking for. You will rarely get a coherent reply, because there isn't one.

Three response templates

Copy, paste, fill in your details, send.

Template A — Acknowledging the Information Sheet

Subject: Receipt of statutory Information Sheet — [your address]

Dear [landlord/agent name],

I am writing to confirm receipt of the statutory Information Sheet under the Renters' Rights Act, which I received on [date received] via [post / email / hand delivery].

Could you please confirm in your reply that this is the version published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and that you have served it on me on the date stated above. I will be retaining a dated copy for my records.

Thank you.

Kind regards, [Your name] [Your address] [Date]

This pins the serving date. If your landlord later claims they served it earlier (to dodge the £7k penalty), or you later claim they served it later (to trigger the penalty), this email is the contemporaneous evidence.

Template B — Declining a new tenancy agreement

Subject: New tenancy agreement — [your address]

Dear [landlord/agent name],

Thank you for sending through the proposed new tenancy agreement dated [date].

As I understand it, my existing tenancy automatically converted to an assured periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026 under the Renters' Rights Act, and I retain all my statutory rights without needing to sign a new contract. On that basis, I will be remaining on my current periodic tenancy and do not intend to sign the proposed new agreement.

If there are specific issues you'd like to discuss separately — repairs, rent, or anything else — I am happy to do so on a case-by-case basis.

Kind regards, [Your name] [Your address] [Date]

Polite, clear, references the statutory automatic conversion, leaves the door open for genuine discussion.

Template C — Asking for clarification

Subject: Request for clarification — [your address]

Dear [landlord/agent name],

I received your communication dated [date] regarding [topic].

Could you please clarify:

1. The specific legal basis for the request (i.e. which section of the Renters' Rights Act 2026 or other legislation applies)
2. Whether responding is mandatory or optional
3. The deadline for any response

I'd appreciate a written reply so we both have a clear record. Thank you for your time.

Kind regards, [Your name] [Your address] [Date]

This formal, time-stamped request usually filters out anything that wasn't actually mandatory. If they can't cite the section, it's Type 8.

The 31 May 2026 deadline — and what to do if your landlord misses it

By 31 May 2026, every landlord in England must have given every existing tenant a copy of the statutory Information Sheet. This is a hard deadline. There is no grace period.

If your landlord misses it, your local council can issue a civil penalty of up to £7,000. Per failure. Per tenant.

Important: do not prompt your landlord.

It's natural to want to be helpful — to email on 28 May saying "by the way, you haven't sent me the Information Sheet yet." Don't. The Information Sheet duty rests on the landlord, not the tenant. If you remind them and they then send it on the 30th, they have met their duty and the council can't fine them. If you stay quiet and they miss it, the council can.

What to do on 1 June 2026 if you haven't received it.

1. Check your spam folder, your post, your messages — make sure it really hasn't arrived.
2. Email your landlord (or agent) one polite line: "Could you confirm whether and when you served the statutory Information Sheet on me as required by 31 May 2026?" Save the reply (or non-reply).
3. Report to your local council's housing standards team. Most councils have an online form for "report a private landlord."
4. Keep records — copies of any communications received, the date of your tenancy, the date of the original AST, your address.

This is not about being vindictive. It's about a regime that only works if landlords face real consequences for non-compliance. Don't be the tenant who quietly saves a non-compliant landlord from a fine they earned.

Worked example — Sarah's first week of May

Sarah rents a one-bedroom flat in Sheffield for £950/month. Here's what arrives in her first week under the new regime.

Monday 2 May. A "new tenancy agreement" email from her letting agent arrives at 9.07am, headed "Updated agreement — please sign by Friday." It's a 12-month fixed-term tenancy with a quarterly rent payment clause, a no-pets clause, and a "consent to rent review" paragraph in clause 14.

Sarah reads carefully. None of this is required by the Act. Her existing tenancy automatically converted to an assured periodic at 00:01 on 1 May — she has all her statutory rights already. The new agreement would reduce her flexibility (quarterly rent, fixed term) and strip a right (the no-pets clause). She replies that evening using Template B. The agent goes quiet.

Friday 8 May. A letter from her landlord, hand-delivered. It includes a "deposit re-protection certificate" (which checks out — Sarah verifies the reference on the DPS website) and, on the second page, a "request to top up your deposit by £400 to bring it in line with the new statutory cap."

Sarah knows the cap is 5 weeks' rent for tenancies under £50k annual rent. Her current deposit is already at 5 weeks. The "top up" demand is unlawful. She refuses politely in writing and keeps the letter.

Monday 25 May. Her landlord posts the statutory Information Sheet. It's the official DLUHC version, addressed to her, dated 25 May. With six days to spare, the landlord has met their duty.

Sarah replies the same day using Template A, pinning the serving date as 25 May. She saves a scanned copy to a dated cloud folder labelled "RRA Information Sheet — received 25 May 2026."

By the end of the month, Sarah has not signed anything she didn't want to sign, has not paid anything she didn't owe, and has a clear paper trail of every communication. Total time investment: roughly 90 minutes across the month, mostly spent reading carefully.

Five red flags — what NOT to sign

1. A new tenancy agreement that contains a fixed-term clause. Your tenancy is already periodic by operation of law. A new fixed term restricts your right to leave with two months' notice and isn't required.

2. Any document asking for additional deposit beyond the statutory cap. The cap is 5 weeks' rent (annual rent under £50k) or 6 weeks' rent (higher). Demands for "top-ups," "pet deposits" outside the cap, or "additional security" are unlawful.

3. A pre-RRA Section 13 (Form 4) dated on or after 1 May 2026. It's invalid. Do not sign acceptance, do not start paying the new rent. Wait for the correct Form 4A.

4. Any letter requiring you to "consent" to a rent increase outside the Form 4A process. A landlord cannot raise your rent except through the prescribed Section 13 / Form 4A process or by mutual agreement in writing with reasonable notice. "Please sign here to confirm your new rent" without a Form 4A is a shortcut that costs you the right to challenge at tribunal.

5. Any "new tenancy" contract that demands six months' rent upfront. This used to be a common landlord tactic to filter for wealthier tenants. Under the new regime, demanding six months upfront is increasingly being scrutinised as a discriminatory practice. If you're already a tenant in good standing, there is no reason to suddenly switch to six-monthly payments.

Frequently asked questions

What's the Information Sheet I keep hearing about?

It's a statutory document — wording set by government — explaining the new tenancy regime under the Renters' Rights Act in plain English. Your landlord must give you a copy by 31 May 2026. Failure to do so can trigger a civil penalty of up to £7,000.

Do I have to sign the new tenancy agreement my landlord sent?

No. Your existing tenancy automatically converted to an assured periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026 — you do not need to sign anything to retain your rights. Many "new agreements" include clauses that reduce your rights, so read carefully and feel free to decline. Use Template B above to reply politely.

What's the deadline for the Information Sheet?

31 May 2026. That's 30 days from the Act taking effect. If your landlord misses it, report to your local council on or after 1 June. Don't prompt them in the last few days of May — they need to remember on their own.

Can my landlord ask for an additional deposit under the new regime?

No. The deposit cap is 5 weeks' rent for tenancies where the annual rent is under £50,000, and 6 weeks' rent for higher-value tenancies. Your landlord cannot demand more than your existing deposit unless your rent rises and you both agree in writing — and even then, only up to the cap. "Top up to the new statutory cap" demands are unlawful if you're already at the cap.

I got a Section 13 dated 1 May. Is it valid?

Only if it's on the new Form 4A. The old Form 4 is invalid for any rent increase notice served on or after 1 May 2026 — and serving it can trigger a civil penalty of up to £5,000 against your landlord. If you've received a notice, run a free check at https://www.rentsos.co.uk/check.

Key takeaways

• Your existing tenancy automatically converted to an assured periodic tenancy at 00:01 on 1 May 2026. You do not need to sign anything to keep your new rights.
• Your landlord must give you the statutory Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. If they don't, the council can fine them up to £7,000 per tenant.
• "New tenancy agreement" offers are usually optional and often contain clauses that reduce your rights. You can decline politely using Template B.
• Demands for additional deposit beyond the statutory cap (5 or 6 weeks' rent) are unlawful and should be refused in writing.
• Letters from letting agents claiming the Act requires portal sign-ups, new ID checks, or specific insurance products are sales pitches — decline using Template C.

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If you've received a Section 13 rent increase notice and want to know if it's valid, run a free check at https://www.rentsos.co.uk/check.