Landlord Documents and Forms: What You Need and When

Landlord documents and forms fall into four stages: before you let (EPC, gas safety record, EICR, Right to Rent checks), at the start (written tenancy terms, deposit prescribed information, alarm checks), during the tenancy (renewed certificates, section 13 rent notices) and at the end (Section 8 notice on Form 3A). This guide covers England.

Updated 2 November 2026. Applies to England unless stated.

Since 1 May 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has changed which tenancy documents you need in England. Assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies, Section 21 is gone and rent increases now run through a statutory process. Wales and Scotland have separate regimes, covered briefly at the end.

Use this page as your map. Each document below shows when it is due, which law requires it and where a TLA tool takes the work off your desk.

Landlord documents and forms at a glance

This table lists the core landlord paperwork for a typical single-household let in England. HMOs and licensed properties carry extra conditions set by the council.

A fuller document-by-document list will sit on our landlord documents master list.

Before you let: the pre-tenancy documents

EPC

You need a valid EPC before you market the property, and you must give the eventual tenant a copy free of charge. An EPC lasts 10 years. The current minimum rating for a private let is E, rising to C by 2030 under confirmed policy – see our EPC rules for landlords.

Gas safety record

Every gas appliance, fitting and flue you provide needs a check by a Gas Safe registered engineer within the previous 12 months. New tenants must receive the record before they move in. Our gas and electrical safety guide covers the full duty.

EICR

The fixed electrical installation must be inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified and competent person. A new tenant gets a copy of the report before occupation.

Right to Rent

In England, you must check that adult occupiers have the right to rent before the tenancy starts and keep a record of the check. This duty does not apply in Wales or Scotland. Our Right to Rent guide sets out the process.

At the start of the tenancy

Written tenancy terms

For tenancies created on or after 1 May 2026, you must give the tenant written information about the key terms before the tenancy is signed or agreed. This can sit inside a written tenancy agreement or be given separately. Government guidance says failure can lead to a fine of up to £7,000.

Old AST templates with fixed terms, break clauses and rent review clauses no longer fit. Our guide to the periodic tenancy agreement explains what a compliant agreement now looks like, and the tenancy agreements pillar covers the wider picture.

The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet

Where a written tenancy started before 1 May 2026, landlords had to give every named tenant the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026. Oral tenancies needed the written terms by the same date. If you missed this, take advice now through TLA legal advice rather than waiting for a dispute to surface it.

Deposit paperwork

Protect the deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days and serve the prescribed information. The deposit cap is five weeks’ rent where annual rent is under £50,000, and six weeks’ at or above that. A holding deposit is capped at one week’s rent. See tenancy deposit protection.

Alarm checks and inventory

On the day a new tenancy begins, check every required smoke and carbon monoxide alarm works and keep a record. Government guidance suggests having the tenant sign the inventory to confirm the alarms were tested.

The inventory itself is not a legal requirement, but without one you will struggle to recover deposit deductions. Our planned landlord inventory guide will cover what to record.

During the tenancy

Renewed certificates

Gas safety checks recur every 12 months. You can carry out the check up to two months early and keep the original deadline. Give existing tenants the new record within 28 days.

EICRs recur at least every five years, or sooner if the report says so. Existing tenants get a copy within 28 days of the inspection, and the council can demand one within 7 days.

Rent increases: section 13 notice

For assured periodic tenancies in England, the only route to a rent increase is a section 13 notice on Form 4A. You can increase the rent once a year, not in the first year, with at least two months’ notice. Government guidance says you must follow the process even if the tenant has already agreed.

Our step-by-step guide shows how to complete a section 13 notice, and the rent increases guide covers tribunal challenges.

Changing the terms

Both landlord and tenant must agree any change to the tenancy terms. Record the change in writing and keep it with the original agreement.

Remedial work and repairs

Where an EICR identifies work, you must complete it within 28 days or any shorter period the report specifies. You then send written confirmation to the tenant and the council within 28 days of completion.

Ending a tenancy

Section 21 was abolished for private tenancies in England from 1 May 2026. Possession now runs through Section 8 grounds using Form 3A, the prescribed notice seeking possession. Government publishes separate landlord guidance and the legal wording for each ground alongside the form.

Tenants end an assured periodic tenancy by giving two months’ notice. See our Section 8 grounds guide and what replaced Section 21 before you serve anything. The Section 21 replacement toolkit sets out the documents and evidence each ground needs.

Serving documents properly

A correct notice served the wrong way can fail. Form 4A itself lists permitted methods: hand delivery, leaving it at the tenant’s address, registered post, or any method set out in the written tenancy agreement.

Email service works only if the tenancy agreement allows it. Keep proof of every service: a dated photo, a certificate of service or a postal receipt. Our planned guide to serving documents by email will cover this in depth.

Record keeping: what to keep and for how long

• Gas safety records: at least two years, or until two further checks are done if you used the early-check flexibility.
• EICR: keep a copy to give the inspector at the next inspection.
• Alarm checks: keep records of start-of-tenancy tests.
• Legionella: written records are not a statutory requirement for most landlords, but HSE advises keeping one.
• Proof of service: for every notice, information sheet and certificate you hand over.

From 15 December 2026, England’s PRS database opens region by region. Registration asks for gas safety, electrical safety and EPC details for each property. Landlords who already hold these in one place will register faster. See our landlord registration guide and the planned record-keeping guide.

Statutory versus best-practice documents

Not every document carries the same legal weight. Statutory documents (gas record, EICR, EPC, deposit information, written terms, prescribed notices) carry penalties or affect your ability to recover possession if missing.

Best-practice documents (inventory, check-out report, repair logs, inspection notes) protect you in disputes. Treat both as essential. Our planned statutory documents guide will separate the two in detail.

Wales and Scotland

In Wales, the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 uses occupation contracts and its own written statement rules. Landlords must give the contract-holder an EICR within 14 days, and every storey needs a mains-connected, interlinked smoke alarm.

In Scotland, private residential tenancies have their own model agreement and notices. Landlords register with the local council and renew every three years. This guide’s England-specific forms (Form 3A, Form 4A) do not apply in either nation.

This guide is general information, not legal advice.