GREGORY ABRAMS DAVIDSON SOLICITORS
Helping get your life back on track
Tenancy Agreements Solicitors Liverpool & North West London
If you find yourself in a situation where you have to leave your home unexpectedly, it can be very unsettling for you and your loved ones. A tenancy agreement can ensure that you are aware of your rights, as well as your landlords, from the outset of your tenancy. If a dispute arises at a later date, having a tenancy agreement in writing can help to establish and safeguard your position.
Contact our conveyancing lawyers in London & Liverpool today if you need assistance with a tenancy agreement.
Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs)
Assured Shorthold Tenancies, or ASTs, are the most common form of tenancy in England & Wales. You will automatically have an AST if:
- You live in private rented accommodation,
- Do not share those premises with the landlord, and
- The tenancy started after February 1997.
Before you take on a tenancy
The main difference between AST and other types of tenancy is that if the landlord follows the correct procedures, they can regain possession of the property without having to give any reason for doing so. Whilst having a written tenancy agreement cannot change this, it allows you to discuss the likelihood of this happening and to make contingency plans if necessary.
Requesting an agreement in writing
If your landlord is a Housing Association or the local Council, they usually provide written tenancy agreements. In other private rental situations, you can ask the landlord to provide the basic terms of a tenancy agreement in writing. Once requested in writing, this must be provided within 28 days.
What the tenancy agreement contains
The tenancy agreement will contain express terms including:
- When the tenancy is due to start and end
- Whether you are able to end the tenancy early (you can only do this if there is a break clause in the agreement)
- How much the rent is and when you should pay it
- How much deposit is required and when the landlord can keep it
- What bills you will be responsible for paying
Other terms will be implied into a tenancy agreement by law, such as the property being of a habitable standard.
