Landlords in England have been given their first look at the new forms they will need under the Renters’ Rights Act, with the government publishing draft paperwork for possession notices, rent increases and other assured tenancy processes less than 24 hours before the new regime starts.
The guidance, published on 30 April, confirms that from 1 May landlords must use a new Form 3A for possession under the reworked section 8 system, along with updated forms covering rent increases and agricultural tenancy cases. The versions released today are watermarked and cannot be served, but they show landlords and agents what information the final forms will require from tomorrow.
Need the full picture? Read Landlord Knowledge’s Renters’ Rights Act guide for landlords in England for the main rules, deadlines, Section 8 changes, rent increase rules, PRS Database, Ombudsman requirements and practical next steps.
Need the possession rules in one place? Read Landlord Knowledge’s Section 8 notice grounds for possession guide for the main grounds, notice periods, evidence requirements and post-Renters’ Rights Act landlord risks.
Section 8 and rent notices move to new assured tenancy forms
The most important change for most landlords is the revised Form 3A, which will be used when seeking possession of a property let on an assured tenancy or assured agricultural occupancy. From 1 May, that becomes the key notice form for possession cases because section 21 falls away for the private rented sector in England.
The government has also published a new Form 4A for landlords proposing a rent increase on an assured tenancy. That matters because rent rises after commencement must follow the updated statutory route rather than the mix of practices many landlords and agents have used under assured shorthold tenancies.
Other forms published in advance include Form 1A and Form 2A for succession cases, Form 5A for assured agricultural occupancy rent changes, and Form 9A for agricultural worker lettings where a landlord wants the tenancy to be assured rather than an assured agricultural occupancy.
For landlords, the immediate takeaway is practical rather than political: check systems, templates and agent workflows now. A possession notice or rent proposal served on the wrong form after 1 May risks delay, challenge or complete failure.
Old notices can still run in limited cases
The guidance also sets out the narrow circumstances where existing forms can still be used after commencement. If a landlord served a valid section 8 or section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 and that notice had not expired immediately before the switch, the current assured tenancy forms can continue to be used while that notice remains valid.
That protection is not open-ended. The government says court proceedings must usually be started by the earlier of the original notice deadline or 31 July 2026. If proceedings are not started in time, the tenancy converts into an assured periodic tenancy and any future possession action must use the new system instead.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s March report on the £7,000 penalty risk tied to the new tenancy information sheet deadline. Taken together, the latest forms show how the final stretch of Renters’ Rights Act implementation is shifting from broad policy debate to paperwork, notice wording and service deadlines.
The government has said usable versions of the forms will appear on the official assured tenancy forms page from 1 May. Landlords can already review the new form set through the advance guidance published on GOV.UK.
That should help firms prepare, but it also leaves a familiar compliance risk. Landlords who assume a pre-1 May notice, clause or template can simply roll forward may find the court or tribunal takes a different view. Propertymark has already warned in its pre-deadline checklist for landlords that the new regime will reward cleaner records and tighter processes.
What this means for landlords
- If you’re planning possession action: check whether your case falls under the old transitional rules or needs the new Form 3A from 1 May.
- If you’re reviewing rents: make sure any post-commencement increase follows the new Form 4A route and notice periods.
- Watch for: final non-watermarked forms going live on GOV.UK and any software or agent updates needed to match them.
- Bottom line: the switch to assured periodic tenancies is no longer theoretical – the forms show exactly where paperwork mistakes could trip landlords up.
Editor’s view
There is nothing dramatic about a form library update, but landlords should not shrug this off. Possession and rent-setting now depend even more on getting the paperwork right first time, and that raises the cost of sloppy management.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 30 April 2026
Sources: GOV.UK, Housing Hub
Related reading: Propertymark outlines key RRA changes landlords must prepare for by 1 May
📘 Renters’ Rights Act: Complete Landlord Guide
Everything you need to know about the new rules – 1 May 2026
