The 'How to Rent' guide is a government document that must be provided to all new tenants at the start of their tenancy. Failure to provide the guide is one of the most common compliance failures — and it can have serious consequences.
What is the How to Rent Guide?
The How to Rent guide is a government-produced checklist that explains the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants. It covers topics including:
Who Must Receive the Guide?
The guide must be provided to all new assured shorthold tenants (and from the date the Renters' Rights Act comes into force, all new periodic tenants) at the start of their tenancy.
When Must the Guide be Provided?
The guide must be provided at the start of the tenancy. It can be provided as a hard copy or by email (if the tenant has agreed to receive documents by email).
The Latest Version Requirement
The guide is updated periodically by the government. Landlords must always provide the latest version. If a new version is published during an existing tenancy, landlords must provide the new version to existing tenants.
This is one of the most commonly missed compliance requirements. Many landlords provide the guide at the start of a tenancy and then forget about it when new versions are published.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
Failure to provide the How to Rent guide can prevent landlords from serving a valid Section 21 notice (under the current rules) and may affect their ability to use certain Section 8 grounds under the new Act.
RentersComply automatically tracks the current version of the How to Rent guide and alerts you when a new version is published, ensuring you always provide the latest version to your tenants.