Specific legal requirements for what to include in new tenancy agreements have been announced this week.
Here at LEA Property Solutions, we specialise in letting and managing HMO properties for landlords across Ipswich. Here is our guide to help you navigate the upcoming changes to tenancy agreements under the Renters’ Rights Act, before the date arrives!
With the 1st May 2026 deadline fast approaching for most new private assured tenancies, now is the time to understand what’s required and make sure your documentation is ship-shape and watertight.
The key change: written statements become mandatory
From 1st May 2026, most new private assured tenancies must include a written statement containing specific mandatory information, provided before the tenancy is agreed.
This represents a significant legal change to how rental arrangements are formalised, and getting it right is crucial to avoid enforcement action and potential fines. For HMO landlords, this adds another layer of compliance to an already comprehensive regulatory framework.
What must be included in your written statement
The government’s draft secondary legislation sets out a comprehensive list of mandatory information set to be included. Here’s what every written statement for an assured periodic tenancy is expected to contain under the new rules.
Basic tenancy information
Your written statement must clearly identify the core details of the tenancy:
- The landlord’s full name: if the property has multiple owners, every joint landlord must be named.
- All tenants’ names: every individual who will be party to the agreement.
- A service address in England or Wales: this is where tenants can serve notices on the landlord.
- The property address being let: one hopes this one is a no brainer.
- The date from which the tenant is entitled to possession of the property.
The regulations also note contact details and certain identifiers will be included, so in practice your template will need to capture all prescribed items rather than just the headline points above.
Financial terms
Financial transparency is central to new requirements:
- The rent amount and payment schedule: how much is payable, how often and on what dates.
- A clear statement that rent can only be increased using the statutory rent increase process (the updated Section 13 route), rather than by informal or unilateral increases.
- Utility and service arrangements: whether utilities, TV licence, communication services or council tax are included in the rent or paid separately.
If they are paid separately, you must explain how and when payment is due, or how the tenant will be notified of charges.
This is particularly relevant for HMO properties where utility bills are often included in the rent, or where individual room tenancies may have different arrangements.
- The security deposit amount (if applicable): you must state the amount to be paid as a deposit.
You do not have to specify in the written statement which deposit protection scheme will be used, although you still have to comply with the existing tenancy deposit protection rules and provide the prescribed information separately.
Notice periods and possession rights
Tenants need to understand their rights and obligations around ending the tenancy and how possession works.
The minimum notice period the tenant must give to end the agreement has a defined statutory minimum, and will be set in regulations.
A statement explaining possession procedures, which is drawn from the Housing Act 1988, must cover three key points:
- The landlord can normally only end an assured tenancy through obtaining a possession order from the court.
- To obtain a court order, the landlord typically needs to serve a notice in the prescribed form setting out the statutory grounds for possession (commonly referred to as a Section 8 notice).
- The notice period will depend on which grounds for possession are being used and what those grounds relate to.
As the wording of these possession explanations is prescribed, your documentation will need to align with the final form set out in the regulations.
Property standards and safety
Your written statement must include several declarations about property standards:
- A statement confirming the landlord’s obligation to ensure the property is fit for human habitation, reflecting the modern “fitness” duties that apply to most private tenancies.
- A statement outlining the landlord’s obligations under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, covering repairs to the structure, exterior and key installations.
- A statement detailing the landlord’s obligations under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector regulations.
- If the property has gas, a statement covering the landlord’s obligations under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations.
These elements are designed to ensure tenants are explicitly told, in writing, what standards they can expect from their home. For HMO landlords, these standards sit alongside your existing HMO licensing obligations and additional regulatory requirements.
Equality and accessibility
Two important provisions relate to equality and accessibility:
- Information about Section 190 of the Equality Act 2010 — this confirms that landlords may not unreasonably withhold consent to disability‑related improvements that would help a disabled occupant enjoy the premises.
- Information about the tenant’s rights around adaptations and how to request consent in a way that is consistent with the Equality Act framework.
In practice, this should encourage earlier conversations about reasonable adjustments and clarity over what will be permitted.
Pets and pet requests
The new regime also strengthens tenants’ rights around keeping pets:
- Tenants will be able to request permission to keep a pet under a new section inserted into the Housing Act 1988 by the Renters’ Rights Act, and landlords may not unreasonably withhold consent.
- The written statement must explain this right to request a pet and how landlords will deal with such requests, including any timescales for responding.
Any conditions attached to consent, such as requiring additional cleaning or damage clauses, will still need to comply with the Tenant Fees Act and the existing deposit cap, as there is no separate “pet deposit” permitted.
For HMO properties, pet requests will need careful consideration given the shared nature of the accommodation and the impact on other tenants.
Special circumstances
If applicable:
- For supported accommodation, you must include a statement identifying it as such and explaining why it meets the criteria set out in the regulations.
This helps distinguish supported tenancies from standard private lets where slightly different rules and expectations can apply.
How this affects Ipswich HMO landlords
For our clients across Ipswich, there are clear practical implications we are keeping on top of on your behalf:
- For new tenancies starting on or after 1st May 2026: providing the written statement before the agreement is signed or otherwise agreed. This information can be incorporated directly into our tenancy agreement or provided as a clearly linked separate document.
- For existing written tenancies created before 1st May 2026: we do not need to issue entirely new agreements just because of the written statement rules, but we must provide all named tenants with a government‑issued information sheet by 31st May 2026. This information sheet is expected to be published in March 2026.
We don’t operate on verbal agreements as an agency, but if you are reading this as a non-client and have any existing verbal‑only agreements that started before 1st May 2026, you need to take some action soon.
Landlords will be required to provide a full written statement of the key terms by a statutory deadline (currently expected to fall later in summer 2026), not just an information sheet.
Where a tenancy is partly written and partly verbal, the transitional rules are expected to focus on ensuring the tenant at least receives the government information sheet, with additional written terms provided where necessary to plug obvious gaps.
For HMO properties with multiple individual tenancy agreements, ensuring each tenant receives the correct documentation by the relevant deadlines will require careful coordination.
The risks of non‑compliance
Failure to provide a compliant written statement, or to meet the deadlines for existing tenancies, exposes both landlords and agents to enforcement action, including financial penalties.
Civil penalties for breaches of the new duties can reach several thousand pounds per offence, and repeat or serious non‑compliance may lead to more severe sanctions.
For HMO landlords already managing licensing requirements and additional regulations, adding non-compliance with tenancy documentation requirements to the mix is the last thing you need.
In Ipswich’s developing HMO market, regulatory issues and disputes around unclear terms are the last thing most landlords want distracting from securing and keeping good tenants.
Our approach: getting ready now
Although the final version of the statutory instrument is expected in March 2026, we are already working with landlords to review and update tenancy documentation so it can be quickly aligned with the confirmed wording, based on this latest announcement.
The draft legislation after all gives a clear roadmap, and starting early means we won’t be rushed or our clients feel pressure when the deadline arrives.
We are also monitoring sector feedback on these requirements. Industry bodies have successfully pushed for clarifications on timing and delivery methods, and there are ongoing discussions about how best to reflect agents’ details and to accommodate the upcoming landlord unique identifiers that will be linked to the new Private Rented Sector Database (a separate but related reform).
What you should do next
If you are a client of ours already, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered.
If not, then to prepare and stay ahead of changes, Ipswich HMO landlords should:
- Review your current tenancy agreements and any side letters: identify where they fall short of the new written statement requirements.
- Watch for the March publication of the final statutory instrument and the government information sheet. These will set the definitive requirements and wording.
- Plan your timeline: if you have tenancies starting in early May, build in time now for agreement updates and for issuing the information sheet to existing tenants.
By all means, if you are unsure and feel it is time to seek professional advice, please do contact us to discuss updates. We can help you prepare compliant documentation that folds the prescribed wording into your existing templates without over‑complicating them.
Final thoughts
These changes add some administrative steps to the letting process, but they do serve an important purpose: ensuring tenants have clear, comprehensive information about their rights and obligations from day one. In our experience working with HMO landlords across Ipswich, this kind of transparency helps prevent disputes, sets clear expectations and supports stronger landlord‑tenant relationships.
The key is preparation, however. By understanding what’s required and acting now, you’ll be ready when 1st May arrives and your lettings can continue smoothly without interruption – and without you feeling under any stress or pressure.
If you have questions about how these changes affect your HMO properties or specific circumstances, please get in touch.
This article is for guidance purposes and reflects the draft secondary legislation available in January 2026; landlords should seek professional advice for their particular situation and keep an eye out for the final statutory instrument expected in March 2026.