The CLA View

We are receiving regular calls from our members, who are a range of farmers, landowners and rural businesses, many of whom own rental properties. They are seeking clarification on what is expected of them to ensure they comply with the Renters’ Rights Act.

This is due in part to a new deadline on the horizon that many rural landlords need to be aware of and if they miss it, the financial implications could be significant.

By 31 May 2026, landlords of assured tenancies (previously assured shorthold tenancies) in England will need to give existing tenants a new government document under the Renters’ Rights Act.

The document is called the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026. The sheet is a standard explanation of tenants’ rights and landlords’ responsibilities brought in by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, produced by the Government. Landlords are legally required to serve it to tenants and must do so in the correct format by the deadline.

The penalties for not complying can be serious. Failure to serve the information sheet can lead to fines of up to £7,000 for a single breach. For landlords with more than one tenant, those figures can add up quickly.

As changes to residential tenancy law have gathered pace, one thing the CLA has worked hard to do is make sure rural landlords aren’t treated as an afterthought. Much of the legislation driving today’s reforms was designed with large urban landlords in mind.

The CLA’s role has been to explain, repeatedly, why rural property simply doesn’t fit neatly into that model and to push for rules that recognise how countryside housing really works.

The association has been involved in renters’ reform for years, not just since the Renters’ Rights Act reached Parliament. From the earliest versions of the Renters’ Reform Bill, the CLA made the case that rural landlords often provide housing for workers, let below market rent, and operate in areas where there are few alternative homes. We have made the case directly to ministers, officials and parliamentary committees through formal evidence and policy engagement.

We have pressed the case that reform must work for landlords as well as tenants if rural housing is to remain available at all.

Staying on the subject of the property rental sector, the CLA has recently written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves urging caution over reported plans to introduce a temporary freeze on private sector rents in England, arguing that legislation already coming into force may make such a move unnecessary.

Media reports have suggested the Treasury is considering a one-year rent control, though Downing Street has denied the claims. The CLA has moved quickly to make the case on behalf of its members – many of whom let rural properties as part of a diversified farming or land business.

It is this campaigning on rural‑specific issues that is core to the work of the CLA. We work tirelessly to ensure that the rural voice is heard and considered when new legislation is on the horizon.