Written Statement of Terms Checklist — Is Your Tenancy Compliant?

Since 1 May 2026, landlords granting a new assured periodic tenancy in England must give the tenant a Written Statement of Terms under Section 16D of the Housing Act 1988 before the tenancy is signed or begins. Use the checklist below to confirm whether you need one, what it must contain, and generate a compliant PDF in minutes.

✓ Updated June 2026

Renters' Rights Act 2025

Section 16D compliant

England only

✓ Required for tenancies from 1 May 2026✓ Up to £7,000 penalty if missed✓ Check in under a minute✓ Generate a compliant PDF, from £9.99

Looking for 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.

Written Statement of Terms — Checklist & Generator

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.

What Is a Written Statement of Terms?

A Written Statement of Terms is a short document that sets out the core particulars of a tenancy: who the landlord and tenant are, the property, the rent, and the deposit. It is required under Section 16D of the Housing Act 1988, inserted by the Renters' Rights Act 2025, for new assured periodic tenancies granted in England from 1 May 2026.

It is narrower than a full tenancy agreement. A tenancy agreement can run to many pages covering every obligation of both parties; the Written Statement of Terms is a fixed set of statutory particulars the tenant is entitled to have in writing, whether or not a fuller agreement also exists.

📌 The short answer

If you are granting a new assured periodic tenancy in England on or after 1 May 2026, you must give the tenant a Written Statement of Terms before they sign or the tenancy begins — whichever is earlier. Failure to do so can result in a civil penalty of up to £7,000.

Who Legally Needs One — and Who Doesn't

Whether you need to issue a statement depends on when the tenancy started and what kind of letting it is.

SituationWritten Statement needed?
New assured periodic tenancy granted from 1 May 2026Yes
Existing tenancy that started before 1 May 2026No — received Information Sheet instead
Fixed-term tenancy converted to periodic under the Renters' Rights ActCheck — often yes, seek advice on your specific conversion date
Lodger sharing the landlord's own homeGenerally no — not an assured tenancy
Company let to a corporate tenantGenerally no — not an assured tenancy
Terms of an existing tenancy change materiallyYes — updated statement within a reasonable time

Unsure which category your tenancy falls into? Run the checklist tool above — it walks through the relevant questions and tells you directly.

Required Information — What Must Be in the Statement

These are the particulars the generator above collects and checks. Fields marked "Required" apply to every tenancy; the rest apply where relevant.

FieldWhy it's neededStatus
Landlord name / company nameIdentifies who the tenant is contracting with.Required
Address for service (England or Wales)Where the tenant can legally send notices. Does not have to be the landlord's home.Required
Letting agent name (if any)Confirms who is acting on the landlord's behalf.If applicable
Property addressIdentifies the premises the tenancy covers.Required
Tenant name(s)Identifies all parties bound by the tenancy, including joint tenants.Required
Tenancy start dateFixes when the tenancy, and the statutory deadline to issue the statement, begins.Required
Rent amount and frequencyCore financial term of the tenancy. The rent period cannot exceed one calendar month.Required
Rent due daySets a clear payment expectation and reduces arrears disputes.Required
Deposit amount and protection schemeConfirms the deposit is protected as required by the Housing Act 2004.Required
Bills — included or payable separatelyAvoids disputes over whether utilities are part of the rent.Required
HMO licence number (if applicable)Required where the property is a licensable House in Multiple Occupation.If applicable
Break clause details (if any)Sets out any right either party has to end the tenancy early.If applicable
Guarantor details (if any)Records who has agreed to guarantee the tenant's obligations.If applicable
Date statement issuedEvidences that the statement was given before the tenancy began.Required

Common Mistakes That Make a Statement Non-Compliant

✕

Issuing it after the tenancy has already started

The statement must be given before the tenancy is entered into or begins, whichever is earlier. Backdating or issuing it late does not cure the breach.

✕

Using a home address instead of an address for service

The landlord's address must be one in England or Wales where legal notices can be sent — it can be an agent's address, but it must be current and correct.

✕

Leaving out one joint tenant

Every named tenant on the tenancy should appear on the statement, not just the lead applicant.

✕

Forgetting the HMO licence number

If the property is a licensable HMO, the licence number is a required particular, not an optional extra.

✕

Not reissuing after a rent change

A statement that was compliant on day one becomes outdated the moment a recorded term changes. An update is due within a reasonable time, generally treated as 28 days.

✕

Confusing it with the Information Sheet

The Information Sheet was a one-off document for tenants who already had a tenancy as at May 2026. It does not replace the Written Statement of Terms for new tenancies going forward.

Written Statement of Terms vs Tenancy Agreement vs Information Sheet

These three documents are often confused. They serve different purposes and none of them substitutes for another.

FactorWritten Statement of TermsTenancy AgreementInformation Sheet
Legally requiredYes — Section 16D, Housing Act 1988No general statutory requirementYes, for tenancies before 1 May 2026
Applies toNew assured periodic tenancies from 1 May 2026Any tenancy, by choiceExisting tenants as at May 2026
ContentCore particulars only: parties, property, rent, depositFull contractual terms and obligationsGeneral statutory rights information
Tenancy-specificYesYesNo — same document for all tenants
DeadlineBefore tenancy signed or starts, whichever earlierUsually signed alongside move-in31 May 2026 for existing tenants
Penalty for non-complianceUp to £7,000 civil penaltyNone directly (contract law remedies apply)None directly

Legislative Timeline

1
January 2025Renters' Rights Act 2025 — Royal Assent

The Act received Royal Assent, inserting Section 16D into the Housing Act 1988 alongside the abolition of Section 21.

2
1 May 2026Section 16D comes into force

Every new assured periodic tenancy in England granted from this date requires a Written Statement of Terms before it starts.

3
31 May 2026Information Sheet deadline for existing tenants

Landlords with tenancies that began before 1 May 2026 were required to have issued the government's Information Sheet by this date — a separate, non-tenancy-specific document.

4
OngoingUpdate obligation applies for the life of the tenancy

Any material change to a recorded term triggers a fresh obligation to issue an updated statement within a reasonable time.

Real Examples

Example 1 — Straightforward single tenant, rent included bills

A landlord lets a one-bed flat in Leeds to a single tenant from 1 June 2026, rent £900/month, all bills included, deposit protected with the DPS. The landlord issues the Written Statement of Terms before the tenancy starts, covering the standard fields — no HMO licence, break clause, or guarantor needed. This is the minimum compliant case.

Example 2 — Joint tenants with a guarantor

Two students take a joint tenancy in Manchester. Their parent acts as guarantor for one of them. The landlord names both tenants on the statement, records the guarantor's details, and notes that rent is payable jointly and severally. Naming only the lead tenant would make the statement incomplete for the second tenant.

Example 3 — HMO with a break clause

A licensed five-bedroom HMO in Birmingham lets a room to a new tenant with a six-month break clause allowing either party to end the tenancy with two months' notice after month four. The landlord's statement includes the HMO licence number and the exact break clause wording, since both are required particulars for this tenancy.

Example 4 — Mid-tenancy rent change

A landlord agrees a rent increase with an existing tenant six months into a periodic tenancy that started after 1 May 2026. Because the rent term in the original statement has changed, the landlord issues an updated Written Statement of Terms within 28 days reflecting the new figure — the original statement alone is no longer sufficient.

How to Issue a Compliant Written Statement of Terms — Step by Step

01

Confirm the tenancy type and start date

Check the tenancy is a new assured periodic tenancy in England, granted on or after 1 May 2026. Use the checklist above if you're not sure.

02

Gather landlord and property details

Landlord name, address for service, letting agent (if any), and the full property address.

03

Confirm tenant and rent details

All tenant names, the tenancy start date, rent amount and frequency, due day, and deposit details including the protection scheme.

04

Add applicable extra terms

HMO licence number, break clause wording, guarantor details, and how bills are handled, where relevant to this tenancy.

05

Generate and issue before the tenancy starts

Complete the wizard above to produce the PDF, then give it to the tenant before they sign or before the tenancy begins — whichever is earlier.

06

Reissue if terms change

If any recorded term changes during the tenancy, issue an updated statement within a reasonable time, generally treated as within 28 days.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

These are separate from, and additional to, any other tenancy compliance obligations such as deposit protection or gas safety.

SituationPenaltyEnforcing authority
No Written Statement of Terms before a new tenancy startsCivil penalty up to £7,000Local housing authority
Statement issued but missing required particularsTreated as non-compliant — same penalty risk as not issuing oneLocal housing authority
Terms change but statement not updated within a reasonable timeCivil penalty risk; weakens landlord's position in any disputeLocal housing authority / County Court
Repeat or serious non-complianceMay be treated as a banning order offenceFirst-tier Tribunal

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 — mixed commercial use, company lets, or disputed conversions — seek advice from a qualified housing solicitor.

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 →
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

Do I legally need to give my tenant a Written Statement of Terms?▾
Yes, if you are granting a new assured periodic tenancy in England on or after 1 May 2026. Section 16D of the Housing Act 1988 requires it before the tenancy is signed or begins, whichever is earlier.
What is the difference between a Written Statement of Terms and a tenancy agreement?▾
The statement is a shorter, statutory summary of the core terms — parties, property, rent, deposit. The tenancy agreement is typically a longer contract covering all obligations. You can have both, but only the statement is a specific legal requirement.
What happens if I don't give my tenant one?▾
Local authorities can issue a civil penalty of up to £7,000. Repeat or serious non-compliance can be treated as a banning order offence.
Is this the same as the Information Sheet?▾
No. The Information Sheet was a one-off general document for tenants who already held a tenancy as at May 2026. The Written Statement of Terms is tenancy-specific and applies to every new tenancy going forward.
What must be included?▾
At minimum: landlord name and address for service, tenant name(s), property address, tenancy start date, rent amount and frequency, and deposit details. Add HMO licence, break clause, and guarantor details where relevant.
Do I need to reissue it if terms change?▾
Yes. Any material change to a recorded term — for example a rent increase — requires an updated statement within a reasonable time, generally treated as within 28 days.

Related Guides & Tools

→Written Statement of Terms Generator→Free Written Statement Template→Written Statement PDF Generator→Renters' Rights Act — Complete Guide for Landlords→Section 21 Abolished — What Landlords Do Now→Section 8 vs Section 21 — The Difference in 2026→Section 8 Notice Generator→Section 8 Notice for HMO Landlords→Section 8 Notice for First-Time Landlords→Section 8 Notice & Landlord Database Registration→Form 3A Generator — England→Rent Arrears Payment Plan Template→Possession Order Timeline→Written Statement of Employment Particulars (different document)

⚠ Legal disclaimer

OfficeDraft's Written Statement of Terms checklist and generator assist landlords and letting agents in preparing a statement in the format required by Section 16D of the Housing Act 1988. This guide and tool provide general legal information only and do 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.

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