Rental Agreements in England: What Changed in 2026

ASTs are no longer the standard private tenancy

GOV.UK states that landlords cannot create a new assured shorthold tenancy. Existing assured shorthold tenancies automatically became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026.

The tenancy runs on a rolling basis

An assured tenancy cannot be created with an effective fixed end date. It runs periodically — for example monthly — until the tenant ends it, landlord and tenant agree to end it, or the landlord lawfully regains possession.

Put the key terms in writing

A tenancy agreement sets out the legal terms and conditions. GOV.UK says an agreement can be written or oral, but where there is an oral agreement the landlord must also provide the key terms in writing.

Written information is now a specific landlord duty

For an assured tenancy created after 1 May 2026, the landlord must give the tenant the required written information before signing the tenancy agreement or otherwise agreeing the tenancy. It can be included in the agreement or supplied separately. Failing to provide it can lead to a local-authority fine, so a generic contract alone is not enough.

Old written and oral agreements were treated differently

Where a pre-1 May tenancy already had written terms, landlords did not have to reissue the whole agreement, but they had to provide the government’s Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. Where the older tenancy was entirely oral, the required key terms had to be provided in writing.

Deposits and other duties still sit alongside the agreement

A written agreement does not replace deposit protection, safety, licensing, repair or information duties. For an assured periodic tenancy, a tenancy deposit must be handled through an approved protection scheme where the statutory rules apply. Keep the prescribed information, inventory and payment records with the signed agreement.

Do not assume every letting is an assured periodic tenancy

Different rules can apply where the landlord lives in the same accommodation, for certain student accommodation, holiday lets and other excluded arrangements. Check the tenancy type before relying on a template.

England rental agreement checklist for 2026

• Identify the landlord, all tenants and the rented property.
• Use a rolling rental period rather than a fixed end date where the tenancy is assured.
• Record the start date, rent, payment method, bills and deposit arrangements.
• Set out responsibilities, permitted use, pets, access and repairs in clear language.
• Provide the current written information and protect any deposit where required.
• Check current notice and possession rules rather than copying clauses from an old AST.