What contract do I need to to let out a property to a tenant?

Find out more about Assured shorthold tenancy agreements

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If you need to to let out a property you should consider using an assured shorthold tenancy agreement. This page will explain why and how to create your next assured shorthold tenancy agreement.

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.

The type of assured shorthold tenancy agreement you need will depend on your property. For example, if you are letting out your entire property to a single occupant, then you will need a sole-occupancy. If you are letting out rooms in your property to tenants from different households then you will need a bedsit or a HMO agreement.

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It is important to understand which agreement applies to your situation as a landlord's rights and obligations will vary in each case. For example, a HMO landlord will often need a licence from the council before they can let out their property and they must ensure that the rooms are a certain size in order to obtain the licence.

In certain circumstances, a property might be managed by a letting agent which is why it is important in the tenancy agreement to specify if this is the case so that tenants know who to direct queries to during the tenancy. A letting agent can create and sign a tenancy agreement on the landlord's behalf so the tenant will most likely already understand the arrangement before moving in.

To create an assured shorthold tenancy agreement which meets your requirements and protects your rights as a landlord, simply register with Legislate and answer some simple questions about your tenancy. In a couple of clicks, Legislate will build a custom sole-occupancy, bedsit or hmo tenancy agreement which will allow you to let out your property in a secure and legally compliant way.

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