An Act’s title and year do not tell you whether an old tenancy guide is still reliable. The Housing Act 1988 has been amended, so a document quoting its original wording can miss changes that affect a decision today.
Establish the tenancy type
Start with the property’s jurisdiction, the agreement, the occupation history and any relevant notices. Ask for advice if the legal status is unclear. A label on a downloaded template is not a substitute for checking which regime applies.
Update the English assured-tenancy checklist
Current GOV.UK landlord guidance explains that assured periodic tenancies cannot be ended with a new section 21 notice from 1 May 2026. Landlords instead need a valid possession ground and a section 8 notice. Older tenancy records and transitional cases need particular care; do not discard them simply because the general rules have changed.
Keep the source and date together
When recording a compliance decision, note the guidance consulted, its date and the facts on which you relied. Use the current revised legislation and check any commencement or transitional provisions relevant to the issue. Keep rent, notice and deposit questions separate so that answering one does not appear to resolve all the others.
Review documents before reuse
Check standard letters, calendars and instructions to agents before copying them into another tenancy. Remove statements that no longer describe the applicable process, while retaining the original signed records. Seek case-specific advice before taking steps that could affect a tenant’s rights.
The useful question is not simply what the 1988 Act originally said, but which provisions now govern this tenancy and this action.
Editorial review: 15 October 2026. This original Property Perpetuity guide replaces the imported text; the original archive publication date is retained.