If you are considering letting one of our properties you will probably welcome the opportunity to read our tenancy agreement in advance.

Here is the full text, copied and pasted from our generic Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement...

THIS AGREEMENT is made the       day of                                2002

BETWEEN <FULL NAME OF LANDLORD> of <ADDRESS OF LANDLORD> (hereinafter called "the Landlord") which expression where the context admits includes the person for the time being entitled to the reversion immediately expectant on the determination of the tenancy hereby created of the one part and <FULL NAME OF TENANT> of <ADDRESS OF TENANT> (hereinafter called "the Tenant") of the other part

WHEREBY it is agreed as follows:

1. The Landlord lets and the Tenant takes ALL THAT property known of < ADDRESS OF PROPERTY> (hereinafter called "the Premises") TO HOLD unto the Tenant for a term certain of six months commencing on the <START DATE> and at the rent of <RENT> per calendar to be payable monthly in advance without any deduction whatsoever by Bankers Standing Order if required by the Landlord. If any rent payments are paid by cheque a penalty of £25 will be immediately payable on payments not honoured on each presentation

2. This Agreement creates an assured shorthold tenancy within Part 1 Chapter 11 of the Housing Act 1988 and the provisions for the recovery of possession by the landlord in Section 21 thereof apply accordingly save where the landlord serves a notice under paragraph 2 of Schedule 2A of that Act.

3. The Tenant shall pay to the Landlord on the signing of this Agreement a deposit (non- interest bearing) in the sum of (ENTER AMOUNT OF SECURITY DEPOSIT) and the first payment of rent. The deposit shall be held by the landlord as security in respect of the following: -

(a) Any rent or any other monies due to the landlord which remain unpaid

(b) Any damage to the premises, or fixtures and fittings or any other property belonging to the landlord for which the Tenant may be liable

(c) Any unpaid accounts in respect of water, electricity, gas or telephone services

(d) Any other breach on the part of the Tenant under this Agreement

4. The landlord may at any time deduct from the deposit any unpaid rent or other monies or any loss or expenses incurred or suffered by the landlord or any sums expended by the landlord arising out of the foregoing matters, but the landlord shall notify the Tenant of any such deductions

5. This tenancy does include the use of the Landlord's furniture and effects listed in the inventory attached.

6. This assured shorthold tenancy is not capable of being assigned.

7. The Tenant agrees with the Landlord as follows:

a. To pay the said rent on the days and in the manner aforesaid: and to pay interest at the rate of 16 per centum or four per centum per annum above the Barclays Base Rate whichever is the higher on any rent in arrears for more than 14 days after the due date calculated from the due date to the actual date of repayment

b. To pay all taxes (including the Council Tax and Water Rates) assessments and outgoings in respect of the premises

c. To pay the costs of all oil electricity and gas consumed and the costs of all telephone calls made at the premises during the tenancy (together with any standing charges levied by the appropriate authorities) and not to do anything to cause the disconnection of the electricity or gas supply or the telephone;

d. To keep during the tenancy hereby created the premises and the fixtures and fittings included therein and decorations thereof in a good clean and tenantable repair and condition and to replace immediately any broken glass and to make good, repair or install any fixtures and fittings in the premises;

f. At the expiration or sooner determination of the said tenancy to deliver to the Landlord the said premises together with furniture, fixtures and fittings therein and all new fixtures and additions thereto in a good and tenantable repair and condition;

g. Upon not less than 24 hours' notice (except in emergency) to permit the landlord or his agents with or without workmen and equipment to enter upon the premises for any of the following purposes: -

i) To examine the condition of the premises or any adjoining property

ii) To repair, maintain alter improve or rebuild the premises or any adjoining property

iii) To examine or to repair maintain or replace the fixtures and fittings

iv) To comply with any obligation imposed on the landlord

h. To use the premises only as a private dwelling house and not to carry on or permit to be carried on from the premises or any part thereof any profession, trade or business whatsoever nor to let any of the rooms or receive in any overnight guests on the premises nor to place or exhibit any notice board or notice whatsoever on any portion of the premises;

i. Not to use the premises or any part of it for any of the following nor allow anyone else to do so; activities which are dangerous, offensive, noxious, nuisance, illegal or immoral, or which are or may become a nuisance or annoyance to the Landlord or to the owner or occupier of any neighbouring property;

j. Not to assign, underlet, part with possession of the premises or any part thereof,

k. Not to lop, cut down or remove or otherwise injure any tree, shrubs or plants growing on the premises;

1. Not to do or omit to do anything. –

i) which causes any insurance policy maintained by the Landlord to become void or voidable

ii) which causes the rate of premium on any policy maintained by the Landlord to be increased

The Tenant shall pay to the landlord on demand all sums paid by the landlord by way of increased premium and all other expense incurred by the landlord as a result of a breach of this provision

m. Not to keep any domestic pet whatsoever without the express permission of the Landlord to be given in writing and in the event of the Landlord granting such permission and such permission may be rescinded if in the Landlord's absolute discretion such pets cause any damage, nuisance or annoyance to the Landlord or other occupants of the property;

n. Not to glue stick nail screw or otherwise fix anything whatsoever to the interior or exterior of the premises or the contents without the Landlord's written consent;

o. To clean or pay for cleaning all carpets, furniture, linen, counterpanes, blankets (if any) and curtains included in the letting which shall have been soiled during the tenancy;

p. Not to play or use or permit the playing or use any musical instrument, television radio loud speaker or mechanical or other noise making instrument of any kind in or about the premises either:

i) between the hours of 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. or

ii) at any other time or times so as to cause nuisance or annoyance to any of the other tenants or neighbours of adjoining properties;

q. To take all reasonable precautions to prevent damage by frost;

r. Where any garden is included in the tenancy to use it as a private garden only and to keep it clean and tidy properly cultivated and free from weeds and the grass regularly mown.

s. To pay the television licence fees for the premises

PROVIDED ALWAYS that if the said rent or any installment or any part thereof shall be in arrears for 14 days after the same shall become due or if the Tenant shall commit any breach of the several agreements or stipulations contained herein then in any such case it shall be lawful for the Landlord at any time to enter upon and take possession of the premises and immediately thereupon the tenancy hereby created shall be determined but without prejudice to any right of action which the Landlord may have to recover all such rent in arrear and damages in respect of any breach of this agreement.

7. If two or more persons are together the Tenant their obligations to the Landlord shall be joint and several.

8(a) The rules as to the service of notices in S.196 of the Law of Property Act 1925 apply to any notice given under this Agreement

(b) The Landlord's address for service of notices, including notice in proceedings, is the address given above for the Landlord, until the Tenant is notified of a different address in England and Wales

9. If a deposit is paid it shall be retained by the Landlords Agents as security for the performance of the Tenant's obligations and shall be repayable to the Tenant only after the end of the tenancy and then without interest and after deduction therefrom of any sums required to compensate the Landlord whether wholly or in part for any breach of obligation on the Tenant’s part.

10. The Landlord may bring the tenancy to an end at any time but not earlier than six months from the commencement date by giving the Tenant not less than two month's written notice (or by such shorter period of notice as may be permitted in certain circumstances by the Housing Act 1988) stating that the Landlord requires possession of the premises. If the Tenant is desirous of terminating the tenancy either at the end of, or after the term, he shall give the Landlord not less than one month's notice in writing.

Signed ....................................................

Landlord

Signed ...................................................

Tenant