Why it matters
What How to Rent Guide means for a landlord
For years, giving tenants the current How to Rent guide was one of the conditions for a valid Section 21 notice, so landlords kept proof they had served it. The guide was withdrawn on 1 May 2026, when Section 21 was abolished, and any claim based on a notice served before then had to be started by 31 July 2026. A new tenancy has a different information duty: the landlord gives a written statement of the tenancy terms before it is entered into. Keep old proof of service with past tenancy files, but take the guide out of your move-in pack.
Worked example
How it plays out
In 2024 Hannah emailed her tenant in Reading the How to Rent guide and kept the sent message, which she needed for a valid Section 21 notice. In June 2026 she lets another flat. She checks GOV.UK, sees the guide marked as withdrawn and does not send it. Instead, before the tenancy is agreed, she sends the new tenant a written statement of terms and keeps a copy with the date it was sent.
Common mistakes
Where landlords go wrong
- 01Still sending How to Rent to new tenants as if it were required: it was withdrawn on 1 May 2026.
- 02Forgetting the duty that replaced it: a written statement of terms before a new tenancy is entered into.
- 03Confusing How to Rent with the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet, a one-off for written tenancies that already existed on 1 May 2026.
What to do
A short checklist
- Remove How to Rent from your move-in pack and templates.
- Send a written statement of terms before every new tenancy is agreed.
- Keep past proof of service with the relevant tenancy files.
Sources
Checked against these sources on 16 September 2026. A guide to the rules in England, not legal advice: for a dispute or a possession claim, speak to a solicitor.
