From 1 May 2026, every new tenancy in England must be accompanied by a Written Statement of Terms. Not a tenancy agreement. A separate, government-prescribed document that sets out the key terms of the tenancy in a standard format.
If you are a letting agent or property manager, you need to understand what goes into this document, how it differs from what you are already using, and what the penalties look like if you get it wrong.
The government published the prescribed format in March 2026. This post walks through it line by line.
What is the Written Statement and why does it exist?
The Written Statement of Terms is a requirement under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Its purpose is to give tenants a clear, standardised summary of their tenancy terms, separate from the full tenancy agreement.
Think of it as a factsheet that sits alongside the agreement. It must be provided to every tenant at the start of a new tenancy from 1 May 2026. For existing tenancies, landlords must serve a separate Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.
The two documents are different. The Written Statement is for new tenancies. The Information Sheet is for existing ones. Do not mix them up.
What the Written Statement must include
Names and addresses
Full legal names of the landlord and tenant. The property address in full. If the landlord uses a correspondence address that differs from the property address, both must be listed.
This sounds basic, but it catches agencies out when properties are owned by companies, trusts, or joint owners. Get the legal ownership right. Check Land Registry if there is any doubt.
Occupation date
The date the tenant is entitled to move in. Not the date the agreement was signed. Not the date the deposit was paid. The actual date the tenant can occupy.
Rent details
The amount of rent, how often it is payable (weekly, monthly), and the date it is due. If rent is due on the first of each month, say so explicitly. Do not leave it vague.
Also required: a statement of whether any bills are included in the rent (council tax, water, energy, broadband) and if so, which ones.
Additional charges
Any charges beyond rent that the tenant is liable for. This must comply with the Tenant Fees Act 2019, so in practice the only permitted charges are the tenancy deposit, a holding deposit, fees for early termination, late rent payments, or changes to the tenancy requested by the tenant.
If there are no additional charges, the Written Statement must say so explicitly.
Notice periods
The Written Statement must set out the notice periods for ending the tenancy. From 1 May 2026, the tenant must give two months’ notice. The landlord must give the applicable notice period depending on the ground for possession (ranging from two weeks to four months depending on the Section 8 ground used).
This section should be factual and reference the statutory periods. Do not invent custom notice periods. They are not enforceable.
Repairing obligations
A summary of the landlord’s repairing obligations under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. This covers the structure and exterior of the property, installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, and space and water heating.
You do not need to reproduce the full text of the statute, but you do need to make it clear that these obligations exist and cannot be contracted out of.
Fitness for human habitation
A reference to the landlord’s obligation under Section 9A of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as inserted by the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018) to ensure the property is fit for habitation at the start of and throughout the tenancy.
Again, a summary is sufficient. The key point is that the tenant knows this obligation exists.
Gas and electrical safety
A summary confirming that the property has a valid Gas Safety Certificate (if gas is supplied) and a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report. Include the dates of the most recent certificates and when they expire.
