Written Statement of Terms Generator
What a written statement of terms is, what it must contain under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and a free tool to build one. Section 16D, Housing Act 1988 · England · From £9.99
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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.
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Updates as you fill inWhat is a written statement of terms?
A written statement of terms is the document a private landlord in England must give a tenant on or before a new assured tenancy is entered into, setting out the prescribed key terms of that tenancy. The duty comes from section 16D of the Housing Act 1988, which the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (2025 c.26, Royal Assent 27 October 2025) inserted. It applies to every new assured tenancy granted from 1 May 2026.
It doesn't have to be a separate document. If the tenancy agreement itself contains every prescribed item and the tenant sees it before the tenancy begins, that satisfies the duty — a standalone statement is only needed where the agreement is silent on one of the required points, or where there was no written agreement at all.
Do you need a written statement of terms?
New tenancy from 1 May 2026
If you are granting a new assured periodic tenancy in England, you must give the tenant this written statement before they sign or the tenancy begins — whichever is earlier.
£4,000–£7,000 civil penalty
Local authorities can fine landlords for failing to provide a compliant statement. Council guidance generally treats £4,000 as the starting point, rising to the statutory maximum of £7,000.
Not the same as the Information Sheet
Existing tenants received the government's Information Sheet as a one-off. The written statement of terms is different — it's tenancy-specific and required for every new tenancy going forward.
Updates within a reasonable time
If any term in the statement changes during the tenancy, landlords should issue an updated statement promptly — generally treated as within 28 days.
What the statement must contain
Landlord name(s)
The individual or company letting the property.
Address for service
An address in England or Wales where the tenant can send legal notices — not necessarily the landlord's home.
Tenant name(s)
Every named tenant on the tenancy, not just the lead tenant.
Property address
The full address of the let property, including postcode.
Date first entitled to possession
The date the tenancy actually begins, distinct from when the statement is issued.
Rent amount and due date
How much is payable and when — the rent period cannot exceed one calendar month.
Rent increase process
Confirmation that any increase must follow the section 13 notice procedure.
Bills
Whether bills are included in the rent or payable separately, and which ones.
Deposit amount and scheme
Only needed where a deposit is actually taken; the scheme named should match where it's genuinely held.
Minimum notice to end the tenancy
The notice period the tenant must give.
HMO licence number, if applicable
Only where the property is licensed as a House in Multiple Occupation.
Source: Renters' Rights Act 2025 (2025 c.26) — legislation.gov.uk ↗
Timeline
27 October 2025 — Renters' Rights Act 2025 receives Royal Assent
The Act (2025 c.26) inserts section 16D into the Housing Act 1988, creating the written statement of terms duty for the first time.
1 May 2026 — Written statement of terms becomes mandatory
Applies to every new assured tenancy granted in England from this date. Existing tenancies are handled separately, via the government Information Sheet.
2026 — Prescribed content regulations finalised
The Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations set out exactly what the statement must contain.
Frequently asked questions
What is a written statement of terms?
A written statement of terms is the document a private landlord in England must give a tenant on or before a new assured tenancy is entered into, setting out the prescribed key terms of that tenancy: the parties, the property, the rent, the deposit, and an address the tenant can send notices to. The duty comes from section 16D of the Housing Act 1988, which the Renters' Rights Act 2025 inserted.
What does the Renters' Rights Act say about the written statement of terms?
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (2025 c.26) inserted section 16D into the Housing Act 1988, creating the written statement of terms requirement for the first time. It applies to every new assured tenancy granted in England on or after 1 May 2026. The Act also created the civil penalty — up to £7,000 — for failing to provide a compliant statement.
Is a written statement of terms the same thing as a tenancy agreement?
No, though the two commonly live in the same document. A tenancy agreement is the wider contract between landlord and tenant, however long or detailed the parties choose to make it. The written statement of terms is a shorter, prescribed subset — the specific facts the tenant is legally entitled to see in writing under section 16D. If a tenancy agreement already contains every prescribed item and the tenant sees it before the tenancy begins, no separate document is needed.
Who needs to be given a written statement of terms?
Every tenant under a new assured tenancy granted in England on or after 1 May 2026. Existing tenants, whose tenancies were already running before that date, instead received (or should have received) the government's Information Sheet as part of the transition — see the FAQ below on that distinction.
What's the difference between the written statement of terms and the government's Information Sheet?
The Information Sheet is the document existing tenants received as a one-off, explaining how the Renters' Rights Act 2025 changes affect their existing tenancy. The written statement of terms is different: it's the ongoing, tenancy-specific document required for every new tenancy granted from 1 May 2026 onward, not a one-off transitional notice.
What happens if a landlord doesn't provide a written statement of terms?
A local authority can issue a civil penalty. Current council guidance generally treats £4,000 as the starting point for a first breach, rising to the statutory maximum of £7,000, and further housing-related breaches by the same landlord can push penalties toward the separate £40,000 maximum that applies to more serious offences.
Can the written statement be updated if a term changes?
Yes, and it should be. If a term in the statement changes during the tenancy — for example the address for service, or the deposit protection scheme — the landlord should issue an updated statement within a reasonable time, generally treated as 28 days.
Sources
Related guides and tools
Last updated: September 2026
Reviewed by: OfficeDraft UK Legal Documents Team
How we keep this accurate: Every legal claim on this page is checked directly against the current text of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and the Housing Act 1988 on legislation.gov.uk, and against current council civil-penalty guidance, at each update.
Legal disclaimer: This page is general guidance and not legal advice. Landlord and tenant law changes, and individual circumstances vary. For advice on a specific tenancy, contact a qualified housing solicitor.