The How to Rent guide is a government-published document that sets out the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords in the private rented sector in England. It may seem like a minor piece of paperwork, but failing to provide it can have serious consequences for your ability to manage your tenancy and take possession proceedings. Here is what every landlord needs to know.
What Is the How to Rent Guide?
The How to Rent guide, officially titled "How to rent: the checklist for renting in England", is produced by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (now the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government). It is a plain-English document aimed at tenants, explaining their rights, what to expect from a tenancy, and what to do if things go wrong. The guide covers topics including tenancy deposits, repairs, eviction, and how to complain. The government updates the guide periodically to reflect changes in the law.
When Must You Provide It?
You must provide a copy of the How to Rent guide to every tenant at the start of the tenancy. For new tenancies starting on or after 1 October 2015, this has been a legal requirement. You must also provide a copy when a new version of the guide is issued during an ongoing tenancy. The guide has been updated several times, most recently to reflect changes introduced by the Renters' Rights Act 2025, which comes into force on 1 May 2026. You should check the gov.uk website regularly to ensure you are providing the most current version.
Which Version Must You Use?
You must provide the version of the guide that is current at the time you give it to the tenant. Providing an outdated version does not count. If the government publishes a new version while you have an existing tenancy running, you should provide the updated version to your tenant. This is particularly important in the period around 1 May 2026, when the Renters' Rights Act comes into force and the guide is expected to be updated to reflect the new legal framework. Using an old version could mean your tenant has not been given accurate information about their rights, and it could undermine your legal position if you later need to take action.
How Can You Provide It?
The guide can be provided in hard copy or electronically. Sending it by email as a PDF attachment is perfectly acceptable. You can also provide a link to the current version on the gov.uk website, as long as the tenant can access it. Whatever method you use, keep a record that you provided it and when. An email with the guide attached provides a clear, timestamped record. If you provide a hard copy, consider getting the tenant to sign an acknowledgement of receipt.
What Happens If You Do Not Provide It?
Under the current law, failure to provide the How to Rent guide means you cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice. Since Section 21 is being abolished by the Renters' Rights Act from 1 May 2026, this specific consequence will become moot. However, the obligation to provide the guide continues under the new framework. The Renters' Rights Act maintains the requirement to provide prescribed information to tenants, and the How to Rent guide forms part of this package. Failure to provide it could affect your ability to serve valid notices under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 and could be used as evidence of non-compliance in any enforcement proceedings brought by the local authority.
Best Practice
Make providing the How to Rent guide part of your standard tenancy setup process. Include it in the pack of documents you give to every new tenant alongside the tenancy agreement, gas safety certificate, EICR, EPC, and deposit protection information. Set a reminder to check for updates on the gov.uk website at least twice a year and whenever major legislation like the Renters' Rights Act comes into force. It takes less than five minutes to download the latest version and email it to your tenants, and those five minutes could save you months of legal difficulties down the line.
Take Action
Make sure the How to Rent guide is part of your complete landlord document pack. Generate all 14 essential documents in one go, pre-filled with your details.
Not sure what else you need? Use our free RRA Compliance Checker to find out, or read our Landlord Compliance Checklist for 2026 for the full list of requirements.