Renters' Rights Act: New tenancy agreements live
New assured periodic tenancy agreements, that can be used for tenancies signed on or after 1st May, are now available to download for free from our website.
Our agreement has been updated to reflect new rules coming in under the Renters’ Right Act from May onwards, which abolish the fixed term and require certain mandatory information to be given to the tenants.
All tenancies beginning on or after 1st May must provide certain mandatory information in writing before the tenancy is entered into. This can be either as part of the full tenancy agreement or as a standalone document. Landlords face fines of up to £7,000 if they don't provide it.
Our document, which has undergone full legal checks, includes the mandatory information that the Government requires you give to the tenant before they sign – and is based on draft regulations, set to be finalised next month.
Student contract
We also have a dedicated contract for use by student landlords. This includes the prior notice requirement, letting tenants know that the landlord may use the student possession ground – ground 4a – if they wish to re-let to a new group of students for the following academic year.
This ground can only be used by student landlords with HMOs if tenants are given notice of it at the outset of the tenancy, with the agreement also including other clauses specific to HMOs and students.
Free to download
Both templates are completely free to download as part of your membership, giving you the peace of mind that you’re compliant, at no extra cost.
We're releasing the documents ahead of the 1st May deadline to give you the opportunity to negotiate tenancies in advance. This is particularly pertinent for student landlords who might be holding off on signing new contracts until after the May deadline.
We will release more of these templates over this week and, once the legislation is finalised and the tenancy moves out of draft form, we'll be adding options to customise the agreements with a number of new clauses to suit your circumstances and preferences.
These will include fair usage policies for rent, some terms to reflect your insurance agreements or superior lease, and guarantor clauses if you don’t wish to use a separate agreement.
What if my tenancy is beginning before 1 May?
If you enter into an agreement before 1st May, even if the tenants move in on or after that date, it will start as an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) and will be considered an 'existing tenancy' for the purposes of the Act.
You can use either our fixed term or periodic ASTs to set such a tenancy up, which are also available on our site.
Rather than including the mandatory information in the tenancy agreement, these tenants will need to be given the Government's information sheet which will contain key information about the changes coming in and need to be served to all existing tenants by 31st May.
The wording will be confirmed by the Government next month, after which it too will be available to download from our website.
Join our next Renters' Rights webinar
Our next Renters’ Rights webinar, free to members, will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, 18th February, and will focus on how you start new tenancies after 1st May.
This will include detail on the wording of the new agreements, and how to use them. The presentation will be followed by a live Q&A with the session running from 11am – 12pm.
To register click here, and if you’d like to submit any questions in advance, please email [email protected]
More information
- To download the new documents, click here.
- To visit our Renters' Rights Hub, packed with information and resources to help you manage the transition, click here.
- We have also developed an exclusive Navigator tool, offering you your personalised "to-do list” tailored to your needs, which can be accessed here.
- The NRLA's award-winning training academy runs a comprehensive Renters' Rights Act training offer. Click here to book your place.
