A tenancy agreement is a legally binding contract between the tenant and landlord. It allows a tenant to live in a property as long as rent is paid and legal terms and conditions of the tenancy are adhered to.
The most common form of tenancy is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) and is usually in the name(s) of an individual. A tenancy can’t be an AST however if the rent is more than £100,000 per annum or it is a business/company tenancy.
What should be in a tenancy agreement ?
the names of all people involved
the rental price and how it’s paid
information on how and when the rent will be reviewed
the deposit amount and how it will be protected
details of when the deposit can be fully or partly withheld (for example to repair damage you may cause)
the property address
the start and end date of the tenancy
any and all tenant or landlord obligations
whether the tenancy can be ended early and how this can be done
who’s responsible for minor repairs (other than those that the landlord is legally responsible for)