How to Create a Written Statement of Terms

A Written Statement of Terms is required under Section 16D of the Housing Act 1988 for every new assured periodic tenancy granted in England from 1 May 2026. This guide walks through exactly what to gather, which clauses are mandatory, and how to produce a compliant document — with a free wizard to generate it for you at each stage.

✓ Updated June 2026

Step-by-step guide

Section 16D compliant

England only

✓ 5 steps, about 15 minutes✓ Avoid the £7,000 penalty✓ Free wizard, no sign-up✓ Clean PDF from £9.99

Looking to create the employment version instead? See our Written Statement of Employment Particulars guide (Section 1, Employment Rights Act 1996) — a different document for a different purpose. Already know whether you need one? Run the compliance checklist first.

Before You Start

Creating a Written Statement of Terms is not complicated, but it has to contain the right information and be issued at the right time. Get either wrong and the statement doesn't satisfy Section 16D, which exposes you to a civil penalty of up to £7,000.

This guide breaks the process into five steps: gathering landlord information, collecting tenancy details, adding mandatory clauses, adding any optional clauses that apply to your tenancy, and reviewing the finished document for compliance. You can follow it manually, or use the wizard embedded below to fill in each field and generate the PDF as you go.

1

Gather Landlord Information

Start with the details that identify you as landlord and give the tenant a way to contact you or your agent about the tenancy.

✓

Full name or company name

Exactly as you want it to appear — individual landlord or letting company.

✓

Address for service

Must be in England or Wales. Can be your letting agent's address rather than your home.

✓

Letting agent name (if any)

Include if an agent is managing the tenancy on your behalf.

✓

Contact phone and email

Not strictly required by Section 16D, but good practice for tenant communication.

2

Collect Required Tenancy Details

These are the tenancy-specific facts that make up the bulk of the statement.

✓

Property address

The full address of the let property, including postcode.

✓

Tenant name(s)

Every named tenant on a joint tenancy, not just the lead applicant.

✓

Tenancy start date

Fixes the deadline for issuing the statement — it must be given before this date, or before signing, whichever is earlier.

✓

Rent amount and frequency

Weekly or monthly. The rent period cannot exceed one calendar month.

✓

Rent due day

The specific day rent is due each period, e.g. "1st of each month".

✓

Deposit amount and scheme

The scheme must be a government-approved deposit protection scheme, e.g. TDS, DPS, or mydeposits.

Already have this information?

Generate your Written Statement now — the wizard collects exactly what Steps 1 and 2 cover, then builds a compliant PDF.

Landlord details

Required: your name and an address in England or Wales where the tenant can send legal notices. This does not need to be your home address.

3

Add Mandatory Clauses

These clauses must appear in every Written Statement of Terms, regardless of the type of tenancy or property.

ClauseWhy it's mandatory
Landlord identity and address for serviceLets the tenant know who they are contracting with and where to send legal notices.
Property addressIdentifies exactly which premises the tenancy covers.
Tenant identityEvery tenant bound by the agreement must be named.
Tenancy start dateEstablishes when the tenancy, and the statutory deadline, begins.
Rent amount, frequency, and due dayThe core financial term of the tenancy.
Deposit amount and protection schemeConfirms the deposit is held in a compliant scheme.
Date the statement was issuedEvidences that the statement was given before the tenancy began.
4

Add Optional Clauses

Include these only where they genuinely apply to the tenancy — don't add a clause that doesn't reflect the actual arrangement.

ClauseInclude when
Bills arrangementInclude if bills are payable separately from rent, and specify which ones.
HMO licence numberRequired where the property is a licensable House in Multiple Occupation.
Break clauseInclude if either party has a right to end the tenancy early, with the exact conditions.
Guarantor detailsInclude where a guarantor has agreed to underwrite the tenant's obligations.
Other agreed termsAny additional term specific to this tenancy that both parties have agreed to.
5

Review for Compliance

Before you issue the statement, run through this review. It catches the mistakes that most often make a statement non-compliant.

☐

Every mandatory clause above is present and filled in — not left as a placeholder.

☐

The tenant's name(s) match exactly what will appear on the tenancy agreement.

☐

The rent period is one calendar month or shorter.

☐

The deposit scheme named is one of the government-approved schemes.

☐

Any HMO licence number, break clause, or guarantor clause that applies to this tenancy has been included.

☐

The statement is dated, and that date is before the tenancy start date.

☐

You have a copy for your own records, separate from the one given to the tenant.

Common Mistakes

✕

Drafting the statement after move-in

The statement must be given before the tenancy is entered into or begins, whichever is earlier. Writing it up a few weeks into the tenancy does not satisfy Section 16D.

✕

Copying an old tenancy agreement template

Older templates often predate the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and won't include the specific particulars Section 16D requires, or may still reference assured shorthold tenancies and Section 21.

✕

Missing a joint tenant's name

A statement naming only the lead tenant is incomplete where there is more than one tenant on the agreement.

✕

Leaving the deposit scheme blank

The scheme name is a required particular, not an optional detail — "deposit taken" alone is not sufficient.

✕

Forgetting to update it after a change

If the rent or another recorded term changes during the tenancy, the original statement becomes outdated. An updated version is due within a reasonable time, generally treated as 28 days.

Complete Worked Example

Priya owns a two-bedroom flat in Bristol and is letting it to a single tenant, Tom, from 15 July 2026. Rent is £1,100 a month, due on the 15th, with a deposit of £1,100 protected with the Deposit Protection Service. Bills are payable separately by Tom. There is no HMO licence needed, no break clause, and no guarantor.

Following Step 1, Priya records her name and her letting agent's address for service, since the agent is managing the tenancy. Following Step 2, she gathers the property address, Tom's full name, the 15 July start date, the rent figure and due day, and the deposit scheme reference number.

At Step 3, she makes sure all seven mandatory clauses are present: her identity and address, the property address, Tom's identity, the start date, the rent terms, the deposit details, and the issue date. At Step 4, the only optional clause that applies is the bills arrangement, so she notes that water and council tax are payable separately by Tom, and leaves out the HMO, break clause, and guarantor sections as not applicable.

At Step 5, she checks the review list: every mandatory field is filled in, the deposit scheme is a recognised one, the statement is dated 10 July, five days before the tenancy starts, and she has kept a signed copy for her own records. The statement is compliant and ready to give to Tom before he signs the tenancy agreement.

Written Statement Checklist

A condensed version of everything covered above. Want the interactive version that checks these for you and scores your tenancy? Use the full checklist tool.

☐Landlord name and address for service
☐Property address
☐Tenant name(s)
☐Tenancy start date
☐Rent amount, frequency, and due day
☐Deposit amount and protection scheme
☐Bills arrangement
☐HMO licence number (if applicable)
☐Break clause (if applicable)
☐Guarantor details (if applicable)
☐Date statement issued

Generate Your Written Statement of Terms

Section 16D format · Renters' Rights Act 2025 wording · Live preview · England only

Landlord details

Required: your name and an address in England or Wales where the tenant can send legal notices. This does not need to be your home address.

About This Guide

🔄

Updated June 2026

Reflects Section 16D of the Housing Act 1988 as inserted by the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and the 1 May 2026 commencement date.

🇬🇧

England only

Section 16D applies to assured periodic tenancies in England. Wales and Scotland have separate written terms requirements under their own housing legislation.

⚠️

Not legal advice

This guide provides general legal information. For tenancies with unusual features, seek advice from a qualified housing solicitor before issuing a statement.

OD

OfficeDraft Legal Team

Our team tracks UK housing legislation and updates every generator and compliance guide to reflect current law. This guide was last reviewed in June 2026 and incorporates the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and Section 16D of the Housing Act 1988.

About OfficeDraft →

Methodology

This guide was compiled by cross-referencing the statutory particulars required under Section 16D of the Housing Act 1988 with the fields most commonly missed in landlord self-drafted statements. Steps are ordered to match the natural sequence landlords collect this information in — landlord details first, then tenancy-specific facts, then clause drafting, then a final compliance pass.

External references: Housing Act 1988 — legislation.gov.uk · Renters' Rights Act 2025 — legislation.gov.uk · GOV.UK — Renting out a property · Shelter Legal — housing law resources · National Residential Landlords Association · Find a housing solicitor — Law Society

Last updated: June 2026 · Editorial review: June 2026 · Author: OfficeDraft Legal Team

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create a Written Statement of Terms?▾
Gather your landlord and property details, the tenant's details, the rent and deposit information, and any additional terms such as HMO licensing or a break clause. Set these out in writing and give the statement to the tenant before the tenancy is signed or begins, whichever is earlier. The wizard on this page collects the information and generates a compliant PDF automatically.
What information do I legally need before I start?▾
At minimum: your name and an address for service in England or Wales, the tenant's full name(s), the property address, the tenancy start date, the rent amount and how often it's due, and the deposit amount and protection scheme.
Can I write a Written Statement of Terms myself?▾
Yes. There's no requirement to use a solicitor — you can draft one yourself as long as it contains every particular required by Section 16D. A generator or template reduces the risk of missing a required field.
What format should it be in?▾
There's no prescribed template format, but it must be in writing and given to the tenant to keep. A clearly headed PDF or printed document is standard practice.
Is there a free generator or template?▾
Yes — the wizard above is free to use, with a watermarked PDF on the free tier and a clean PDF from £9.99. A free template is also available for landlords who prefer to draft their own document.

Related Guides & Tools

→Written Statement of Terms Generator→Written Statement of Terms Checklist→Free Written Statement Template→Written Statement PDF Generator→Renters' Rights Act — Complete Guide for Landlords→Section 21 Abolished — What Landlords Do Now→Section 8 Notice Generator→Section 8 Notice for First-Time Landlords→Section 8 Notice & Landlord Database Registration→Rent Arrears Payment Plan Template→Possession Order Timeline→Written Statement of Employment Particulars (different document)

⚠ Legal disclaimer

This guide and the accompanying wizard assist landlords and letting agents in preparing a Written Statement of Terms in the format required by Section 16D of the Housing Act 1988. It provides general legal information only and does not constitute independent legal advice. If your tenancy has unusual features, or you are unsure whether Section 16D applies to your specific arrangement, seek advice from a qualified housing solicitor. A directory of solicitors is available at solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk.