Your first month after 1 May 2026: the post-Renters' Rights Act tenant orientation checklist

On 1 May 2026 the Renters' Rights Act 2025 takes effect in England. If you are renting on that date, your tenancy will change automatically -- you will not need to sign a new contract -- and a list of new rights will land in your lap.

This is the calmest, most practical "first month" walkthrough we can write. Print it. Tick it. Use it as the script you wish the government had sent you in the post.

[!info] What this guide is and isn't This is a tenant orientation -- what changes, what to expect, what to do. It is not legal advice. England only. The rules below apply to private rented sector tenancies under the Housing Act 1988 (as amended by the RRA 2025). Devolved-nations rules differ.

The headline change in plain English

Three things happen on 1 May 2026:

1. Your tenancy changes type. If you currently have an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST), it automatically becomes an "assured periodic tenancy" on 1 May. You do not need a new contract. The change is automatic; the rules attached to your tenancy change with it.
2. Section 21 evictions end. Your landlord can no longer evict you on a Section 21 "no-fault" basis. The only routes to possession from 1 May 2026 are Section 8 grounds (a list of fault and circumstance grounds, see below).
3. A list of new rights kicks in. Pet requests, a one-month rent-in-advance cap, the new Form 4A for rent increases, an Information Sheet you should receive by 31 May 2026, and a tribunal that can no longer set rent above the proposed figure.

The rest of this post walks you through the first four weeks.

Week 1 (1-7 May 2026): the auto-conversion

What happens to your tenancy

If you had an AST on 30 April 2026, you have an assured periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026. The conversion is automatic. There is no paperwork to sign, no document to acknowledge.

The rent stays the same. The landlord stays the same. The address stays the same. What changes is the legal framework -- specifically, the eviction grounds and the rent-increase mechanism.

What to do

• Day 1: Save a screenshot of your current tenancy agreement to a folder labelled "tenancy 2026". You will not need to sign a new one but you may want to refer back.
• Day 1: Mark "31 May 2026" in your calendar. That is the deadline for your landlord to send you the government-produced Information Sheet (see Week 2).
• Day 2: Save the rent payment date and amount. The auto-conversion does not change your rent, but it does affect notice for changes -- the landlord must now use Form 4A for any in-tenancy rent increase.
• Day 3-7: Watch the post and your email for any document from your landlord or letting agent. The first thing to expect is the Information Sheet; the second possibility is a Form 4A rent-increase notice (rare in week 1 but not impossible).

What you should NOT receive

• A new tenancy agreement to sign (the auto-conversion is automatic; you do not need a new contract; if your landlord asks you to sign one, you can decline -- see "What to do if the landlord asks for a new contract" below)
• A Section 21 notice (Section 21 dated 1 May 2026 or later is invalid -- see Week 4)
• A request for additional rent in advance beyond one month (the new cap, see "Rent in advance cap" below)

Week 2 (8-14 May 2026): the Information Sheet

What it is

A government-produced one-page leaflet that summarises tenant rights under the Renters' Rights Act. Your landlord (or letting agent) must send it to you by 31 May 2026.

The Information Sheet contains:

• A summary of the tenancy type
• A summary of the eviction grounds under Section 8
• The rent-in-advance cap (1 month max)
• The pet request right
• The new tenancy notice rules (2 months for the tenant to end)
• The new Form 4A regime for rent increases
• Contact details for the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman (when launched)

What to do

• By 14 May: if you have not received the Information Sheet by post or email, send a polite chaser to your landlord (template below).
• On receipt: read it. The leaflet is the first official confirmation that your tenancy is now an assured periodic tenancy.
• File it: keep the Information Sheet with your tenancy folder. Some local authorities and the new ombudsman will ask whether you received it.

What to do if no Information Sheet arrives by 31 May

The 31 May deadline is statutory. Failure to send it is enforceable by the local authority and may attract a financial penalty against the landlord. Use Template C below to chase. If the landlord still does not respond, you can complain to your local authority's housing standards team or (when operational) the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman.

Week 3 (15-21 May 2026): rent increases under the new regime

What changes

In-tenancy rent increases now require a Form 4A notice under Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. The old Form 4 cannot be used for any notice served on or after 1 May 2026.

The headline rules for Form 4A:

• Notice period: 2 months minimum (uniform across all rent payment frequencies)
• Frequency: maximum once every 12 months
• Form: Form 4A only -- a Form 4 served on or after 1 May 2026 is invalid
• Tribunal cap: if you challenge to the First-tier Tribunal, the tribunal cannot set rent above the proposed figure
• No backdating: the new rent applies from the tribunal's decision date, not the proposed effective date

For the full walkthrough see our Form 4A first-week tenant playbook.

Rent review clauses are gone

If your tenancy agreement contains a contractual rent review clause that activates on or after 1 May 2026, that clause is void. The only valid path for an in-tenancy rent increase is a Form 4A notice. See our rent review clause abolition decision tree for the three scenarios.

What to do

• If you receive a Form 4A in week 3, read our Form 4A first-week playbook and complete the 5-question check within 24 hours.
• If your landlord references a rent review clause, challenge it in writing -- it is no longer valid.
• If your landlord serves a "Form 4" (the old form) dated on or after 1 May 2026, the notice is invalid -- send Template D below.

Week 4 (22-31 May 2026): chase, audit, and the Information Sheet deadline

The 31 May deadline

By 31 May 2026 you should have received the Information Sheet from your landlord. If you have not, send Template C.

Five-question audit

Run this five-question audit on your tenancy on or before 31 May 2026:

1. Has the auto-conversion happened? (Yes -- it is automatic; verify by re-reading your tenancy agreement and noting that the AST framework no longer applies.)
2. Did the Information Sheet arrive by 31 May? (Yes / No -- if no, send Template C.)
3. Has the landlord asked for any rent in advance beyond 1 month? (Yes / No -- if yes, refuse using Template B.)
4. Has the landlord served any Section 21 notice dated on or after 1 May 2026? (Yes / No -- if yes, the notice is invalid; send Template A.)
5. Has the landlord served any Form 4 (old form) dated on or after 1 May 2026? (Yes / No -- if yes, the notice is invalid; send Template D.)

If you tick "no" to questions 1-2 and "no" to questions 3-5, you are in good shape. Anything else needs a response.

Five new rights at a glance

Right	What it means	Effective from
No more Section 21	Your landlord cannot evict you on a "no-fault" basis	1 May 2026
Pet request	You can ask to keep a pet; landlord cannot unreasonably refuse	1 May 2026
Rent-in-advance cap	Maximum 1 month's rent in advance	1 May 2026
No rent before signing	Landlord cannot ask for or accept rent before tenancy is signed	1 May 2026
New ombudsman	Complaints route for landlord behaviour outside the rent itself	Voluntary 2026, mandatory 2028

Five things that have NOT changed

• Deposit cap: still 5 weeks' rent for tenancies under £50,000/year (Tenant Fees Act 2019)
• Tenancy deposit protection: deposits must still be protected in an authorised scheme within 30 days
• Repairs duty: Section 11 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 still applies (structure, exterior, water, gas, electricity, sanitation, heating)
• Council tax: still the tenant's responsibility unless the agreement says otherwise
• EPC requirement: minimum E rating for new lettings (MEES); proposed change to C is consultation-stage and not yet law

Three response templates

Template A -- Section 21 dated on or after 1 May 2026 (invalid)

Subject: Section 21 notice dated [date] -- response

Dear [Landlord name],

I have received what appears to be a Section 21 notice dated [date]. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, Section 21 notices cannot be served on or after 1 May 2026. The notice you have served is therefore invalid and I do not intend to vacate the property in response to it.

If you wish to seek possession of the property, you may serve a Section 8 notice citing one of the statutory grounds in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988.

Yours sincerely, [Your name]

Template B -- request for more than 1 month's rent in advance

Subject: Rent in advance request -- response

Dear [Landlord / Letting agent name],

Thank you for your message. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 caps rent in advance at one month after a tenancy is signed. I am willing to pay one month's rent in advance, in line with the statutory cap. I am not able to pay [amount requested].

I look forward to confirmation that one month's rent in advance is acceptable.

Yours sincerely, [Your name]

Template C -- chase Information Sheet (after 31 May 2026)

Subject: Information Sheet under Renters' Rights Act 2025 -- request

Dear [Landlord name],

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, my landlord is required to provide me with the government-produced Information Sheet about my tenancy. The deadline was 31 May 2026 and I have not yet received it.

Please send the Information Sheet by [date 7 days from this letter]. If I do not receive it, I will raise the matter with [local authority name] housing standards.

Yours sincerely, [Your name]

Template D -- Form 4 (old form) dated on or after 1 May 2026 (invalid)

Subject: Rent increase notice dated [date] -- response

Dear [Landlord name],

I have received what appears to be a Form 4 rent increase notice dated [date]. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 requires that any rent increase notice served on or after 1 May 2026 use Form 4A. The notice you have served is on Form 4 and is therefore invalid.

I will continue to pay rent at the current rate of £[amount] per month. If you wish to propose a rent increase, please serve a valid Form 4A notice with at least two months' notice and at least 12 months from the previous increase.

Yours sincerely, [Your name]

What to do if the landlord asks for a new contract

You do not need to sign a new contract for the auto-conversion. Some landlords or letting agents will send a "new" assured periodic tenancy contract for you to sign. Read it carefully:

• If the new contract simply restates your existing rent and terms, signing is harmless but unnecessary.
• If the new contract introduces new fees, raises rent, changes the deposit, or removes existing protections, do not sign. Reply that the auto-conversion is automatic and you are content with your existing agreement.
• A landlord cannot lawfully use the auto-conversion to introduce additional fees or alter material terms without your consent.

Where to get help

• Citizens Advice -- free, neutral, well-trained on the Housing Act
• Shelter -- specialist housing charity; free advice line
• Local Authority Tenancy Relations Officer -- for harassment, illegal eviction, and Section 21 complaints
• PRS Landlord Ombudsman -- complaints about landlord conduct (when operational)
• Generation Rent / Acorn -- tenant union and campaign support
• RentSOS -- for rent-increase challenges specifically; our free check identifies grounds in 2 minutes

FAQs

Do I need to sign a new tenancy agreement on 1 May 2026?

No. The auto-conversion from Assured Shorthold Tenancy to assured periodic tenancy is automatic. You do not need to sign anything. If your landlord sends a new contract, read it carefully -- if it simply restates your existing terms, signing is harmless but unnecessary; if it changes anything material, you can decline.

What if I never receive the Information Sheet?

Send a chaser using Template C above. If the landlord still does not respond, complain to your local authority's housing standards team. The 31 May 2026 deadline is statutory and failure to comply may attract a financial penalty against the landlord.

Can my landlord still serve a Section 21 notice dated before 1 May 2026?

A Section 21 notice properly served before 1 May 2026 may continue to be valid in the transition period (with possession proceedings to be filed by 31 July 2026). A Section 21 dated on or after 1 May 2026 is invalid -- see our Section 8 vs Section 21 post-RRA tenant defence playbook for the cliff-edge dates.

How do I request a pet under the new rules?

In writing, with reasonable detail (type of pet, evidence of pet insurance if you can, your housekeeping arrangements). The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse. The landlord may require pet insurance as a condition. If refused unreasonably, the matter can be raised with the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman (when operational).

My rent has just gone up -- is that a Form 4A increase?

It is an increase only if the landlord served a Form 4A notice. If your rent went up without a notice, it is unenforceable. If you received a Form 4A, run our Form 4A first-week playbook within 24 hours.

Key takeaways

• Your AST auto-converts to an assured periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026. You do not need to sign a new contract.
• Watch for the Information Sheet by 31 May 2026 -- it is your statutory right.
• Section 21 evictions are abolished; possession only via Section 8. A Section 21 dated 1 May 2026 or later is invalid.
• Rent in advance is capped at 1 month. Rent before signing is banned. Pets can be requested, and refusal must be reasonable.
• Rent increases now require a Form 4A with 2 months' notice. The tribunal cannot set rent above the proposed figure and cannot backdate.

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This guide is for England only. The rules described apply under the Housing Act 1988 as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (effective 1 May 2026). For rent-increase challenges specifically, our free check identifies grounds in 2 minutes -- start your check. For broader tenant queries, contact Citizens Advice or Shelter.