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Tenancy agreements are designed to help keep landlords and tenants happy. Here, HIB examines the importance of this piece of paperwork.

Why tenancy agreements are such an important piece of landlord paperwork

From rent payments to property maintenance, ticking off tasks from your landlord to-do list while meeting your responsibilities to your tenants is a delicate balancing act.

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But a lack of clarity over what’s expected of you and your tenants can put strain on the landlord-tenant relationship - especially if certain expectations aren’t met.

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That’s where the power of tenancy agreements come into play.

Setting out the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords is an easy but effective way of making the rules and expectations of a tenancy crystal clear.

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That’s why we’re taking a closer look at what tenancy agreements are, what types are available, and how they can not only help foster a stress-free relationship with your tenants, but make your life as a landlord a little bit simpler too.

What types of tenancy agreements are there?

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Tenancy agreements come in many forms and the one that’s the right fit for you can depend on what type of property you’re renting and who you’re renting to. Find out what tenancy agreements are available below.

Assured shorthold tenancy

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An assured shorthold tenancy is the most popular form of tenancy agreement used by UK landlords to let residential properties to private tenants.

An assured shorthold tenancy gives landlords the right to take back their property from tenants after a tenancy agreement comes to an end without needing to provide a legal reason. However, landlords must give tenants at least two months’ notice if they want to repossess their rental property or evict tenants.

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Most tenancies are usually assured shorthold tenancies by tenancies by default. If the tenancy began after 1989, the rental property is the tenant’s main accommodation and the landlord don’t live in it, a property can be rented on an assured shorthold tenancy. You can also use an assured shorthold tenancy if you’re renting out individual rooms to tenants who share facilities.

Assured shorthold tenancies can’t be used if your rental property is over £100,000 per year, if there’s no rent or if your property is a holiday rental.

Non-assured shorthold tenancy

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Non-assured shorthold tenancies tend to be used when assured shorthold tenancies can’t be. This could be due to factors including, the tenant having a main home somewhere else, the rent being less than £250 per year, or if a landlord lives in the same property as their tenants but doesn’t share any facilities.

Landlords who opt for an assured shorthold tenancy don’t need to pay a tenancy deposit into a government-backed deposit protection scheme, nor do they have to provide a Section 21 or Section 8 Notice to bring a tenancy to an end.

Rent to Rent Insurance and Sublet Insurance

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Until AirBnB rent to rent or subletting insurance was almost impossible to place.

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Property owners who have let their properties to a guaranteed rent provider may well find that their existing landlord insurance is null and void due to the property being sublet. If the property was to burn to the ground their existing insurance probably wouldn’t pay out.

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We can place Rent to Rent Insurance and Sublet Insurance here at Hillman Insurance Brokers but you need to specify this to us. Most insurers do not quote for sublet insurance.