These agreements create an assured shorthold tenancy agreement (AST) for the entirety of the property, meaning only a single AST is needed. All tenants on the agreement are jointly and severally liable for the tenancy agreement. This means they share responsibility for the entire rent and any damage caused through a breach of their tenancy agreement.
These joint tenancy agreements are the most common of all tenancies in the private rented sector and will be used in most situations. Typically a single AST is used where the tenants know each other well or live alone. Usually, this will mean a family or a group of close friends.
If you plan on letting the property as HMO, particularly if your tenants do not know each other well you may wish to consider the NRLA's room-only AST instead, as it will allow you to access the communal parts of the property easily for the performance of your HMO management duties.
Also, while most agreements created in the private rented sector will be assured shorthold tenancy agreements, there are a number of circumstances where an assured shorthold tenancy agreement cannot be created, such as letting to companies or renting out rooms within your own home. If your tenancy cannot be an AST, then these agreements will not be right for you. Instead, you should be using the correct alternative tenancy.
Last Updated: 14/07/2023
Full guidance on when the tenancy cannot be an assured shorthold tenancy, as well as the alternative tenancy that will be required instead.
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