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An assured shorthold tenancy agreement (also known as an AST) allows a landlord to let a property to a tenant. The term of an assured shorthold tenancy agreement is usually 6 or 12 months and will usually convert to a rolling periodic tenancy at the end of the initial term.
A sole occupancy tenancy agreement is when a tenant rents the entire property and has exclusive possession of the property. This means that the landlord needs to seek permission to enter and can only repossess the property from the tenant by serving a notice under certain conditions. The conditions for serving a notice will depend on the status of the tenancy (within the initial term, at a break point or rolling) and whether the tenant has breached the terms of the tenancy agreement or not.
A 6 month term for a tenancy agreement gives the option to the tenant to end the tenancy and leave after 6 months. A 6 month tenancy is suited to young professionals who will work in a location for a short period of time, for example in the context of an internship.
A 6 month tenancy will often convert into a rolling periodic tenancy after the end of the initial term.
Under a 6 month sole-occupancy assured shorthold tenancy, the landlord and tenant will have obligations, liabilities and consents which need to be clearly spelled out in the contract. For example, a landlord is responsible for keeping the property and its installations in repair whereas the tenant will be responsible for repairing damages caused by them. The other key terms of a tenancy agreement are details about the property and common parts, how the tenancy can be terminated within or after the initial term, as well as the rent, payment frequency and payment dates.