A new How To Rent guide is to be issued on Friday, according to a government communication with the National Residential Landlords Association. 

The last update was over two years ago, during the first year of the Covid pandemic.

This is of critical importance to agents and landlords who must serve the latest version at the start of any new tenancy or at the renewal of a statutory periodic tenancy.

It forms part of the prescribed information landlords must issue, and if they do not, they lose the right to repossess using Section 21.

The NRLA says the guide has been updated to reflect some recent legal changes, including the requirement for carbon monoxide alarms to be fitted in every room with a fixed fuel burning appliance. The guide has also been updated to reflect that EICRs must be provided to the tenants. It also contains information on fitting smart meters and there is a section in the guide on ensuring the property is suitable if you have a disability.

The new versions of the How to Rent and How to Let guides will be available on the Gov.UK website from this Friday, March 17. 

Rules were brought in eight years ago making it mandatory for agents or landlords in England to provide the latest version of ‘How to rent: a checklist for renting in England’ to enants when the first tenancy starts – and on renewal if there has been an update to the contents of the guide.