The How to Rent Guide: What Landlords Must Do (and How to Prove They Did It)

The How to Rent guide is a government document that landlords in England must provide to tenants at the start of every assured shorthold tenancy. It's a legal requirement under the Deregulation Act 2015, and failure to provide it can invalidate your ability to regain possession of your property.

This article explains what you need to do to comply, and critically, how to prove you actually gave it to your tenant when it matters.

Who Has to Provide It and When

If you're a private landlord letting a property in England under an assured shorthold tenancy, you must give your tenant a copy of the How to Rent guide before the tenancy begins. This applies to new tenancies and renewals where a new tenancy agreement is signed.

The requirement doesn't apply to lodgers, social housing tenants, or properties in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. But for the vast majority of private rentals in England, it's mandatory.

You must provide the guide at the start of each tenancy. If a tenancy rolls into a periodic tenancy without a new agreement, you don't need to provide it again. But if you sign a new fixed-term agreement with the same tenant, technically you should provide a fresh copy of the current version.

Which Version Do You Need to Give?

The government updates the How to Rent guide periodically. You must provide the version that was current at the time the tenancy started. Using an outdated version can create problems, particularly if a tenant challenges your compliance later.

The current version is always available on GOV.UK. Check for updates before each new tenancy to ensure you're using the latest version. Keep a record of which version you provided and when.

Can You Email the How to Rent Guide?

Yes. The legislation allows you to provide the guide by email, provided the tenant has an email address and hasn't objected to receiving documents electronically. You can send it as an attachment or include a link to the official GOV.UK page.

However, email alone creates a weak proof trail. An email shows you sent something, but it doesn't prove the tenant received it, opened it, or read it. Emails can go to spam folders. Attachments can be ignored. Read receipts are rarely enabled.

If you rely solely on email and a dispute arises, you may struggle to demonstrate compliance. The tenant can simply claim they never received it or didn't see it.

The Problem: Proving You Gave It

This is where most landlords run into trouble. Providing the guide is easy. Proving you provided it is harder.

If you want to regain possession of your property, you must be able to demonstrate that you gave the tenant all required documents, including the How to Rent guide. If the tenant's solicitor challenges this and you can't prove delivery, your possession claim is weakened.

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, landlords use Section 8 to regain possession. Proof of compliance is essential. A tenant defending against eviction can point to non-compliance as a factor, creating delays and complications.

The burden of proof is on you. In a dispute, saying “I definitely gave it to them” isn't enough. You need contemporaneous evidence showing when and how the tenant received the document.

What Counts as Adequate Proof

Strong proof of delivery includes a signed acknowledgement from the tenant confirming they received the guide, timestamped records showing when they accessed or viewed it, an explicit digital acknowledgement recorded at the time, and records created contemporaneously rather than reconstructed later.

Weak proof includes an email send receipt without confirmation of opening, a clause in the tenancy agreement stating documents were provided (tenants can claim they signed without receiving), and verbal assurances with no record.

The difference matters. A tribunal or court looking at evidence will give more weight to specific, timestamped records than to general claims.

A Simple System for Staying Compliant

The easiest approach is to use a document sharing system that creates automatic records. Share the How to Rent guide through a link that tracks when the tenant opens it. Have them acknowledge receipt digitally. Keep the records organised by tenancy.

If you prefer a manual approach, create a checklist of all documents you're providing at tenancy start. Have the tenant sign and date it. Give them a copy and keep one yourself. Store it somewhere you can find it later.

Whatever method you use, the key is creating evidence at the time of delivery, not trying to reconstruct it months later when a dispute arises.