Tenancy Agreements - Before you start

We can draw up a Tenancy Agreement for residential property (technically these will be Assured Shorthold Tenancies). The main points that need to be agreed between the prospective Landlord and Tenant are the length of the initial Agreement, the rent, the amount of any deposit and any special rules, such as no pets. However, both the Landlord and Tenant should also consider the following points.

  • Has the Landlord complied with the latest regulations on any gas fittings? (www.open.gov.uk/hse/gas/index.htm)


  • Do the furniture and furnishings comply with the latest fire safety regulations?


  • The initial fixed period of the Agreement must be at least six months.


  • Even after the initial fixed period has passed, in the absence of the Landlord serving the required notice, the Tenancy Agreement will continue from month to month or week to week, depending on the frequency of rent payments.

  • Most new residential tenancy agreements are Assured Shorthold Tenancies which means that as long as the correct procedures are followed the Landlord can end the tenancy after the initial fixed period without having to establish any fault on the part of the Tenant.

  • Unless the Landlord and Tenant know each other well, most Landlords prefer to start with an initial fixed period of six months. This means that if they are not satisfied with the Tenant but do not have grounds for terminating the tenancy early they are only "stuck" with the Tenant for a short time.

  • Furnished property: If you are letting a property furnished the more detailed the inventory the less likely there are going to be arguments at the end of the Agreement, particularly if it goes on for several years by which time parties may have forgotten who provided what.

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