Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration she has given to the potential merits of requiring tenancy agreements to include a plain-English summary section to improve comprehensibility for landlords and tenants.

Regulations came into force on 1 May 2026 requiring private rented sector landlords to provide specified information in writing to tenants at the outset of new Assured Periodic Tenancies. We expect landlords will include this information in written tenancy agreements so that tenants receive key information about the terms and conditions of their tenancy. Guidance on what information should be included can be found on gov.uk here.

The government does not consider it appropriate to mandate a specific tenancy agreement template or wording. A single approach will not be suitable for every tenancy, and landlords and tenants should be able to agree terms that reflect their individual circumstances. Landlords should ensure tenants have sufficient opportunity to understand, or seek advice on, the terms of any tenancy agreement before entering into it.