Question 1

What is the written statement of terms and is it compulsory?

Accepted Answer

Section 16D of the Housing Act 1988, inserted by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, requires every private landlord in England to give the tenant of a new assured tenancy a written statement of specified terms. SI 2026/324 prescribes the 18 items it must contain. It is compulsory for assured tenancies entered into on or after 1 May 2026, and this document sets out all 18 items with the statutory wording ready to complete.

Question 2

Do I need this if I buy your tenancy agreement?

Accepted Answer

No. Our Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreement (England) includes the written statement as Schedule 1. Buy this standalone version when you are using a letting agent’s agreement or another compliant tenancy agreement that does not contain the statement, or when you want a separate signed receipt for your file.

Question 3

When must the tenant receive it?

Accepted Answer

Before the tenancy is entered into, which means before the tenant signs the tenancy agreement, not just before they move in. The receipt page is there so the tenant acknowledges the date they received it; keep the signed copy with your other compliance documents. Giving it late is a breach even if the tenancy agreement itself is fine.

Question 4

Does it apply to tenancies that already existed on 1 May 2026?

Accepted Answer

Not in this form. For tenancies that already existed on 1 May 2026 the Government’s official information sheet applies instead, and the guidance notes link to it. This statement is for new assured tenancies granted on or after that date.

Question 5

What are the 18 items?

Accepted Answer

They cover the parties and the property, the start date, the rent and how it can be changed, the deposit, pets, the landlord’s repairing and safety obligations including gas and electrical safety, the grounds on which possession can be sought and how the tenancy can be brought to an end, among other matters. The template lists each prescribed item in order with the statutory statements already drafted and a plain-English note on what to insert.

Question 6

Does a lodger need a written statement?

Accepted Answer

No. A lodger living with a resident landlord has a licence, not an assured tenancy, so section 16D does not apply. Our Lodger Agreement has its own particulars page and house rules instead. The statement is only for assured tenancies.

	Free template found online	This document
Law currency	Often undated, or written for assured shorthold tenancies, which cannot be created since 1 May 2026	Law stated as at September 2026, with the version number on every page
Guidance notes	Rarely explain what a clause does or what to put in a blank	Plain-English note on every key clause and a compliance checklist
Editable Word + PDF	Often PDF-only or locked, so you retype it	Editable .docx with yellow fields to complete, plus a print-ready PDF
Support and updates	No one to ask and no updates	Email support, the current version on request when the law changes, and a 30-day fix-or-refund promise

Written Statement of Terms (England)

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