England

Before the tenancy starts you must give the tenant a copy of 'How to Rent: the checklist for renting in England', published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (as well as an Energy Performance Certificate and a gas safety certificate).

How to Rent Checklist

The checklist is a guide to help tenants understand their rights and responsibilities; it doesn't form part of the tenancy agreement. You must give the tenant the version that's current at the tenancy start date – if the publication is updated during the tenancy, you don't have to give the tenant an updated version.

If the tenancy began on or after 1 October 2015, you must have given the tenant this checklist before you can use the accelerated possession procedure – see Accelerated possession procedure.

Scotland

You must provide the tenant with specified information (as well as an Energy Performance Certificate and a gas safety certificate).

If you use the Scottish Government's model agreement you must give the tenant the Easy Read Notes for the Scottish Government Model Private Residential Tenancy Agreement. These notes are available on the gov.scot website. If you use the online model agreement the notes are automatically provided.

If you do not use the model agreement you must give the tenant a copy of the Private Residential Tenancy Statutory Terms Supporting Notes which gives information on the nine statutory terms.

You must also give the written tenancy terms – for more about what it must include see Written versus oral agreements

Northern Ireland

You must provide the tenant with specified information about the tenancy and a rent book (as well as an Energy Performance Certificate and a gas safety certificate).

You must give a tenancy information notice to your tenant within 28 days after the date the tenancy is granted. This phrase is used in the legislation that sets this requirement, but there's no clear definition of what it means – it's likely to be interpreted as the date the tenancy agreement is signed.

You can use our document Tenancy information notice (Northern Ireland) to create one.

You also must give the tenant a rent book within 28 days of the date the tenancy starts and a certificate of fitness (if required for the type of property) – see Housing standards.

You can use our document Rent book (Northern Ireland) to create a rent book.