Landlord Products / Services
Important: Following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act on 1 May 2026, all existing and new Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) in England were replaced with Assured Periodic Tenancies (APTs).
In other words, while the vast majority of tenancies in England were previously ASTs, that is no longer the case. As a result, much of the information in this blog post is now largely historical, and it remains published primarily for reference purposes.
Page Contents
- Quick Overview of Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements
- What Is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) Agreement?
- Where Can Landlords Get a Good AST Agreement Template?
- How Long Can an AST Agreement Last?
- What Is the Recommended Length of an AST Agreement?
- Who Keeps a Copy of the AST Agreement?
- What Information Is Included in an AST Agreement?
- Changing the Terms of an AST Agreement
- Renewing an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement
- Ending an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement
- Ending an AST Agreement Early During the Fixed Term
Quick Overview: Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements
- An Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) was the most common form of tenancy for private residential properties in England before the introduction of the Renters’ Right Act on 1st May 2026;
- it is legally binding contract between landlord and tenant that outlines the terms and conditions of the tenancy, including rules and responsibilities;
- the contract term is typically fixed at 6 or 12 months;
- it’s best to form an AST by a written contract, but it can also be an oral agreement;
- The only way to terminate an assured shorthold tenancy agreement is through mutual agreement, a breach of the tenancy terms by either party, or the expiry of the fixed term.
What Is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) Agreement?
An Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) is a type of tenancy under the Housing Act 1988.
It’s a legally binding contract between landlord and tenant, which sets out the terms and conditions of a tenancy, such as the duration of the agreement and the rental amount payable by the tenant.
A landlord will typically use an AST when signing up a new tenant, or renewing an existing tenancy.
If your tenancy began on or after 28 February 1997, it was most likely an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) up until 1 May 2026, at which point it became an Assured Periodic Tenancy (APT). Tenancies that began before 28 February 1997, but after 15 January 1989, are more likely to have been Assured Tenancies.
Where Can Landlords Get a Good AST Agreement Template?
They’re available in all shapes and sizes; they can vary from 2 page documents to 50, and they’re available from a wide variety of sources. Therefore it is extremely important to source your tenancy agreement contract from a reputable supplier, which specifies how the document was compiled.
A large number of suppliers, especially the ones which offer free contracts (and even ones charged at a premium, to be honest), often supply garbage contracts. They’ll either be poorly formatted and/or riddled with invalid clauses (i.e. clauses which aren’t enforceable by law). That’s usually the result of someone unqualified (e.g. landlords and/or letting agents) modifying the contracts with their own makeshift rules (e.g. the tenant is only allowed visitors on Tuesday between the times of 1pm – 5pm).
It is important to note that all written tenancy agreement contracts must be “fair” and written in “plain English” and not intended to mislead the tenant in any way.
It goes without saying, failing to use a properly compiled contract can be an expensive mistake.
For further information on this specific issue, you may want to read my guide on how to check if your tenancy agreement is any good or not.
How Long Can an AST Agreement Last?
Since 28th of February 1989, an Assured Shorthold Tenancy can last for any duration. However, while the tenancy can be as short as required, under an AST the tenant has a legal right to stay in the property for a minimum period of six months, regardless of whether the agreed upon duration is for a shorter period.
What Is the Recommended Length of an AST Agreement?
Most tenancy agreements have a fixed term of between 6 – 12 months. That’s pretty much the industry standard.
Any longer than 12 months is high-risk in my opinion, especially when you’re dealing with new tenants, because the reality is, neither party knows what the other is like.
I personally always offer 6 month tenancies to new tenants (basically, the minimum term), but always with the intention of them remaining long-term tenants if all goes well. I explain this to all my prospective tenants from the offset – it’s for everyone’s protection.
Presuming everyone is happy after the 6 months and we’re willing to continue the tenancy, I then either renew the tenancy (at this point, I’d be more willing to offer a 12 month fixed term, but still no more), or do nothing and allow the tenancy to roll into a periodic tenancy (this is my preferred option as it’s much more flexible for everyone).
Who Keeps a Copy of the AST Agreement?
There is no law specifying who should and shouldn’t have a copy of the contract. But again, common sense is the way to go – both landlord and tenant each have their own copy (and an agent if one is involved).
What Information Is Included in an AST Agreement?
Tenancy agreement contracts can range from 2 pages to more than 50 – they can drastically vary. However, the following is generally always included:
Here are just a few of the issues the contract should cover:
- The amount of rent and deposit payable and the term of the tenancy
- Tenant’s obligation to pay bills and council tax
- Tenant’s obligation to keep the property and any garden in good order and repair
- To use the property for residential purposes only
- Not to cause nuisance or annoyance to others
- Not to keep pets without written permission
- Not to leave property unattended for more than 21 days without informing landlord
Any tenancy agreement can be amended by updating, adding and removing terms of the tenancy (but as previously mentioned, that doesn’t necessarily mean that every term in the contract – even if signed and agreed upon by both tenant and landlord – is enforceable by law).
For example, a tenancy agreement can give both tenant and landlord more than their statutory rights, but cannot give any less. In other words, no clause can overturn anyone’s statutory rights.
Changing the Terms of an AST Agreement
During the fixed term of a tenancy, terms and conditions of the tenancy agreement can be amended but only if both the landlord and tenant agree to the new conditions. The change should be recorded in writing, either by drawing up a new written document setting out the terms of the tenancy or by amending the existing written contract.
I know I’ve already harped on about it, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say again here – it’s important to be diligent when modifying a tenancy agreement. Ensure that ALL terms and conditions in the agreement are legal and enforceable by law and don’t undermine anyone’s statutory rights.
It is always advised to seek legal advice from a professional when amending any form of legal contract.
After the fixed-term has expired, you can offer a new tenancy agreement contract, which includes any new terms.
Renewing an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement
There are generally two common ways of renewing an existing tenancy. The good news is both processes are pretty straight forward.
- Sign a new tenancy agreement
The first way is to simply draft a new tenancy agreement, which takes over when the previous tenancy ends. Both landlord and tenant will need to sign the contracts again, and agree to any new terms and conditions that may have been added e.g. rent increase. - Allow the existing tenancy to become a periodic tenancy
The second method is to do nothing. Literally, do nothing.Simply allow the tenant(s) to continue their occupancy as they have been. In this instance, the tenancy will become what is known as a periodic tenancy (or “rolling tenancy”).
All the same terms and conditions in the expiring tenancy agreement will still apply, but the only difference is that the new tenancy agreement becomes periodic. The “period” is dependent on how frequently the rent is paid. For example, if the rent is paid on a PCM (Per Calendar Month) basis, then the contract will run on a month-by-month basis. Same principle applies if the rent is paid on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
For more details on renewing tenancies, please refer to the How To Renew A Tenancy Agreement blog post.
Ending an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement
A lot of landlords (and tenants, to be fair) believe that tenancies automatically terminate on the “end date” specified in the tenancy agreement. That is not the case.
In order for either party to terminate a tenancy agreement, notice must be served.
- Landlords must serve a Section 21 notice to the tenant(s) to terminate the tenancy after the fixed term.
- Tenants must serve a Notice to Quit to the landlord to terminate the tenancy after the fixed term.
More details can be found on ending a tenancy agreement in my terminating a tenancy agreement post, which includes all the methods available for both landlord and tenant.
Ending an AST Agreement Early During the Fixed Term
It’s possible to end an AST early, but the how will depend on the circumstances.
Mutual agreement
If it’s the case that both parties agree to terminating the agreement before the fixed term, then this is what is known as ‘surrender’. This can be done in two ways: “operation of the law” or by a “declaration of surrender”.
Surrender of operation by law
This is when the tenant gives up their occupation of the property to the landlord and the landlord accepts this. This could involve the tenant handing over the property’s keys to the landlord and the landlord accepting that the agreement is over and that they now have possession.
Declaration of operation by law
This is when the tenant signs a “Declaration of Surrender”. This written document then acts as proof that the tenant has given up possession of the property to the landlord.
For a surrender to be legal, both parties must agree. It’s advised for everything that has been agreed to be written down so everyone knows where they stand. If a joint tenancy is in place, all the joint tenants and the landlord must agree to the surrender.
When a tenant has legally surrendered the tenancy, the landlord will then have the right of possession of the property under Section 5 of the Housing Act 1988. The landlord needs to end the agreement properly, before re-letting the property; otherwise the landlord could be accused of unlawful eviction.
Breach of terms or legal obligations
If the tenant has breached terms of the tenancy (e.g. fallen in rent arrears), the landlord can issue a section 8 eviction notice to start the process of an early termination. But be warned, this can be a messy process if the tenant disputes the allegations and is adamant on staying put.
If the landlord has breached the terms of the tenancy and/or fallen short of their legal obligations (e.g. if the property is uninhabitable or poses a serious risk to health and safety), then the tenant may have grounds to terminate the tenancy early. Again, this can also be a messy process, so it’s best to consult with a legal professional or a housing advice organisation (e.g. Shelter).
Phewwww, I think I’m done for now.
Hopefully I’ve provided a decent overview and covered the key points (or, at least a lot of them). I’m sure this post will evolve over time.
In the mean time, feel free to browse more of my blog posts related to tenancy agreements (in which I go into more detail on some of the talking points covered in this post)…
Disclaimer: I'm just a landlord blogger; I'm 100% not qualified to give legal or financial advice. I'm a doofus. Any information I share is my unqualified opinion, and should never be construed as professional legal or financial advice. You should definitely get advice from a qualified professional for any legal or financial matters. For more information, please read my full disclaimer.
Hi I was just looking for some help first of I started rents private direct with a landlord at 6 months at a time. The agrement had a break clause that we could give a 28days(4 weeks) notice to leave which he confirmed with us that was back in 2008 and after the first 6 months we agreed with the landlord we would go on a rolling agreement ie not singing anymore agreements but sticking to the original but then in 2011 our landlord switched over to a agency which we had to sign the contract or be out we weren't given another options now we are looking to move and after looking over the agreements they do not state anything about us having to stay till the end of the agreement or if we can leave early. also nothing about us paying any rent left over in the agreement or fees if we were to leave early. So after all that my question can they make me stay or can I pull up the fact of the original agreement stating only one months notice has to be given.