Understanding tenancy agreements in England became particularly important in 2026 because the private rental system changed substantially on 1 May 2026.
Most existing assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies, while new assured tenancies generally operate on the same rolling basis. Traditional six- or twelve-month fixed-term ASTs are therefore no longer the standard model for ordinary assured private renting in England.
If you searched for a UK tenancy agreement, remember that there is no single tenancy system covering the entire United Kingdom. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rental frameworks.
This guide focuses specifically on private assured tenancies in England.
Different rules may apply to lodgers, holiday accommodation, social housing, certain student accommodation and other types of occupation.
What Is a Tenancy Agreement?
A tenancy agreement is the agreement between a landlord and tenant setting out the terms under which the tenant occupies the property.
It can cover matters such as:
who the landlord and tenants are;
which property is being rented;
how much rent is payable;
when rent is due;
deposits;
bills and utilities;
tenant and landlord responsibilities;
pets;
repairs;
access;
notice; and
other reasonable terms relating to the tenancy.
For assured periodic tenancies in England, the agreement can technically be written or oral.
However, landlords now have specific obligations to provide important tenancy information in writing, making clear written documentation particularly important.
1. Assured Periodic Tenancies Replaced Traditional ASTs
This is the biggest change the old RentWizz article needs to explain.
Before 1 May 2026, many private renters in England signed a six- or twelve-month assured shorthold tenancy, often shortened to AST.
That system changed.
From 1 May 2026, existing assured shorthold tenancies automatically became assured periodic tenancies.
Applicable new assured private tenancies are also created as assured periodic tenancies.
This means the tenancy operates on a rolling basis.
For example, it might roll:
month to month
or
week to week
depending on how the rental periods are structured.
2. There Is Generally No Fixed End Date
A new assured tenancy in England cannot have the traditional fixed end date associated with an old AST.
GOV.UK states that if a landlord tries to create an assured tenancy with an end date, the end date does not apply. The renter may complain to the council and the landlord could face enforcement action.
This means an agreement should no longer say, for example:
Tenancy starts: 1 October 2026
Tenancy ends: 30 September 2027
and treat 30 September as an automatic legal end to an ordinary assured tenancy.
Instead, the tenancy continues until:
the tenant ends it correctly;
landlord and tenant agree to end it; or
the landlord lawfully regains possession.
What If You Only Expect to Stay Six Months?
You can still intend to stay for six months.
However, that does not mean your landlord should create an old-style six-month AST.
You may begin an assured periodic tenancy and later end it using the appropriate notice procedure.
So:
expected length of stay ≠ fixed tenancy term.
3. Written Tenancy Information Is Now Required
From 1 May 2026, landlords creating new assured tenancies must give tenants specified information about the key terms of the tenancy in writing.
The landlord must provide this before they either:
sign the tenancy agreement; or
otherwise agree the tenancy, including where the agreement is oral.
The information can be included within the tenancy agreement or supplied separately.
A landlord who fails to provide the required information can face a penalty of up to £7,000.
Existing Tenancies From Before 1 May 2026
There were transitional requirements too.
Where an existing tenant already had a written agreement from before 1 May 2026, the landlord generally had to provide the government’s Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026.
Where an older tenancy was based entirely on an oral agreement, the landlord instead had to provide the prescribed written tenancy information by that date.
4. Check the Rent Carefully
Your tenancy agreement should make the rent clear.
Check:
the amount;
when it is due;
whether it is paid weekly or monthly;
which account or method is used;
which bills are included;
and which other costs you are responsible for.
GOV.UK states that tenants should pay rent on the day specified in the tenancy agreement.
Rental Periods Have Changed Too
Under the new assured-tenancy rules, assured tenancy periods must operate on a rolling basis and cannot simply be structured around long fixed periods.
The legislation provides for monthly rental periods or periods of no more than 28 days, with incompatible tenancy terms having no legal effect.
For most renters, this will mean a straightforward monthly tenancy where rent is paid monthly.
5. Rent in Advance Is Restricted
This is another area where pre-2026 tenancy advice can now be seriously misleading.
For an applicable assured tenancy in England, a landlord or letting agent must not ask for, accept or encourage rent before the tenancy agreement has been signed.
Once the agreement has been signed but before the tenancy begins — the pre-tenancy period — the landlord can normally request:
up to one month’s rent where rent will be paid monthly;
or
up to 28 days’ rent for shorter rental periods.
Limited exceptions apply, including some council homelessness arrangements and social or supported housing.
Once the Tenancy Has Started
The tenancy agreement also generally cannot contain terms requiring you to pay rent earlier than it falls due.
You can choose voluntarily to pay rent early once the tenancy has started, but your landlord or agent cannot normally force you to do this.
Therefore, an agreement requiring an ordinary tenant to continually maintain six or twelve months of rent paid in advance should not be treated as normal 2026 practice.
6. Understand Holding and Tenancy Deposits
Deposits are separate from rent.
For applicable private tenancies in England, a holding deposit is generally limited to:
one week’s rent.
A tenancy or security deposit is generally limited to:
five weeks’ rent where annual rent is below £50,000;
or
six weeks’ rent where annual rent is £50,000 or more.
Your Tenancy Deposit Should Be Protected
For assured periodic tenancies covered by the protection rules, the landlord or letting agent must place the deposit in a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme.
They generally have 30 days after receiving it to protect the deposit.
They must also provide prescribed information explaining matters such as:
how much was paid;
where the deposit is protected;
how deductions work;
how to recover the deposit;
and how disputes can be resolved.
Keep this information with your tenancy documents.
7. Understand How Rent Can Be Increased
A tenancy agreement should no longer be read as allowing a landlord to increase rent whenever they choose.
For assured periodic tenancies in England, the landlord generally can increase rent only once during a 12-month period.
They also cannot increase it during the first year of a new tenancy.
The landlord must use Form 4A and give at least two months’ notice.
This is the statutory Section 13 process.
What About Rent Review Clauses?
Older fixed-term tenancy agreements often contained a rent-review clause describing when rent could rise.
That approach should not be used to bypass the new statutory process.
GOV.UK states that landlords must follow the Section 13 process whenever rent is increased, and certain increases based on older rent-review clauses that were due after 1 May 2026 no longer apply.
If you believe the proposed rent is above the open-market rent, you may be able to challenge it through the First-tier Tribunal.
8. Check the Pet Clause
Tenancy agreements can still contain provisions relating to pets.
However, England’s new rules mean the landlord cannot simply rely on a blanket refusal in every circumstance.
If you want a pet, you should make the request in writing and provide information about the animal.
Your landlord cannot refuse without a fair reason.
They normally have 28 days to respond in writing.
Reasonable refusal might potentially involve circumstances such as:
the property being unsuitable for the animal;
another resident having a relevant allergy;
restrictions imposed by a freeholder;
or the animal being illegal to own.
Simply disliking pets is not normally regarded as sufficient by itself.
Do not simply bring a pet into the property without checking the agreement and making the required request, because keeping an animal without permission may still breach your tenancy terms.
9. Understand Your Notice Requirements
Your tenancy agreement should state how much notice you need to give when you want to leave.
For assured periodic tenancies under the new system, a landlord cannot generally require more than two months’ notice.
If the agreement does not specify the notice period, you generally need to give at least two months.
You and your landlord can agree to a shorter notice period in writing.
Your notice must normally:
be in writing;
end on a rent-due day or the day before;
and comply with the applicable tenancy rules.
The landlord cannot insist that you use only one particular communication method to serve your notice.
Special transitional arrangements can apply where the tenancy existed before 1 May 2026.
10. The Landlord Cannot Simply End the Tenancy Because They Want To
The disappearance of the fixed end date also changes how renters should understand landlord notice clauses.
For an assured periodic tenancy, a landlord needs a valid ground for possession if they want to regain the property.
Examples can include:
genuinely intending to sell;
genuinely intending to move into the property;
rent arrears;
breach of tenancy;
property damage;
or antisocial behaviour.
The landlord must generally use the appropriate Section 8 notice and follow the possession process.
Section 21 no-fault eviction is no longer the normal route for these assured tenancies.
A clause in a tenancy agreement cannot simply recreate Section 21 by saying:
“The landlord may require the tenant to leave at any time without reason.”
The statutory possession rules still apply.
11. Repairs Are Not Automatically the Tenant’s Responsibility
Check what the agreement says about maintenance, but remember that a contract cannot simply transfer every legal repair duty to the tenant.
In England, private landlords remain responsible for specified repairs including matters such as:
the structure and exterior;
heating and hot water;
basins, sinks and baths;
pipes and drains;
gas installations;
and electrical systems.
GOV.UK states that tenants cannot be forced to carry out repairs that are legally the landlord’s responsibility.
Your responsibilities normally include taking reasonable care of the property and paying for damage caused by you, members of your household or guests.
That is different from taking responsibility for a failing boiler or structural defect.
12. Check Access and Privacy Clauses
A tenancy agreement may explain when the landlord can access the property.
However, the property remains your home.
For routine inspections or repairs in England, landlords normally need to provide at least 24 hours’ notice and visit at a reasonable time of day.
Immediate access can be appropriate in an emergency.
Therefore, do not assume a clause stating:
“The landlord may enter the property at any time without notice”
automatically removes your right to reasonable privacy.
Your agreement should be fair and comply with the law.
13. Terms in a Tenancy Agreement Cannot Override the Law
This is one of the most important points renters should understand.
Signing a tenancy agreement does not automatically make every clause legally enforceable.
The agreement must comply with applicable law.
Under the new English assured-tenancy system, examples of terms that cannot simply override statutory rules include provisions attempting to:
Create a fixed end date
A fixed end date in a new assured tenancy does not take effect as an ordinary fixed-term tenancy.
Create an excessively long rent period
Assured tenancy rent periods cannot simply be structured beyond the permitted monthly or shorter framework.
Require prohibited rent in advance
A tenancy term cannot be used to circumvent the restrictions on pre-tenancy or early rent payments.
Bypass the statutory rent-increase procedure
The landlord must use the current Section 13/Form 4A process rather than relying on an agreement to avoid it.
Require excessive tenant notice
A landlord cannot normally require more than two months’ notice from the tenant under the current assured periodic system.
Remove legal repair responsibilities
A tenancy agreement cannot simply make the tenant responsible for statutory landlord repairs.
Remove ordinary privacy rights
Routine access is still subject to the applicable access rules despite what an overly broad clause might suggest.
The better way to describe these in the article is “terms that cannot override the law” rather than suggesting there is one short official list of banned clauses.
14. Changes to the Tenancy Agreement
A landlord cannot simply rewrite the agreement whenever they want.
GOV.UK states that both landlord and tenant must agree to changes in the terms of the tenancy agreement.
If somebody proposes a change, ask:
what is changing;
why;
when it takes effect;
whether it affects your rent or responsibilities;
and whether the change is compatible with the law.
Keep the agreed change in writing.
15. Joint Tenancy Agreements
If several renters sign the same tenancy agreement, it may be a joint tenancy.
GOV.UK states that all tenants named on the joint tenancy are responsible for the rent.
Before signing jointly, understand:
the total rent;
how roommates intend to divide it;
responsibility for bills;
notice implications;
and how changes in the household will be handled.
Do not assume that because you personally transfer only one-third of the rent, your legal responsibility is necessarily limited to exactly that amount.
Read the agreement carefully.
16. Check Bills and Other Payments
Your agreement should clearly identify which costs are included in rent and which are your responsibility.
These might include:
Council Tax;
gas;
electricity;
water;
broadband;
television licence;
and other agreed household costs.
GOV.UK confirms that tenants can be required to pay agreed utilities, internet, telephone costs and Council Tax, as well as certain other permitted payments.
Do not rely solely on an advert saying “some bills included.”
Ask exactly which bills are included.
17. What to Check Before Signing a Tenancy Agreement
Before agreeing to the tenancy, check:
☐ The landlord’s name and contact information
☐ Property address
☐ Names of all tenants
☐ Tenancy start date
☐ Rental period
☐ Monthly or weekly rent
☐ Rent due date
☐ Deposit amount
☐ Deposit-protection arrangements
☐ Bills and utilities
☐ Tenant notice requirements
☐ Repair responsibilities
☐ Access provisions
☐ Pet terms
☐ Rules about alterations
☐ Rules about subletting
☐ Shared-area responsibilities where applicable
☐ Any additional charges
☐ Inventory arrangements
☐ Whether anything promised during the viewing is included in writing
If you do not understand an important clause, ask before signing rather than assuming what it means.
18. Keep Your Own Copy
Keep a copy of:
the signed tenancy agreement;
required written tenancy information;
deposit information;
inventory;
check-in photographs;
safety documentation;
repair correspondence;
permissions;
and important notices.
Digital copies can be useful even where you also keep paper documents.
Your tenancy agreement may remain relevant for several years, so do not rely on being able to retrieve it later from an old email account or messaging conversation.
19. What About Tenancy Agreements Elsewhere in the UK?
Wales
Wales operates under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act and uses occupation contracts rather than England’s assured-periodic-tenancy framework.
Scotland
Most ordinary private renters in Scotland use a Private Residential Tenancy, which has its own rules and is generally open-ended.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has separate private-tenancy legislation, including its own rules for tenancy terms, notices and landlord responsibilities.
Tenancy Agreements in England: Quick 2026 Summary
Tenancy type
Most ordinary assured private renting now uses assured periodic tenancies.
Fixed end date
New assured tenancies generally do not have an effective fixed end date.
Written information
Landlords must provide prescribed key tenancy information in writing.
Rent
The agreement should state the amount, payment date and rental period.
Rent in advance
Landlords generally cannot demand payment before the agreement is signed and usually can request only one month’s rent during the pre-tenancy period for monthly tenancies.
Deposits
Holding deposits are generally capped at one week’s rent. Tenancy deposits are normally capped at five weeks where annual rent is below £50,000, or six weeks at £50,000 or above.
Rent increases
Normally once per year, not during the first year, using Form 4A with at least two months’ notice.
Pets
Tenants can request a pet in writing and landlords cannot refuse without a fair reason.
Tenant notice
The landlord cannot normally require more than two months.
Repairs
A tenancy agreement cannot transfer statutory landlord repair duties to the tenant.
Access
Routine inspections and repairs generally require at least 24 hours’ notice.
Final Thoughts
Tenancy agreements in England changed fundamentally in 2026.
The biggest mistake renters and landlords can now make is continuing to use old assumptions built around six- or twelve-month assured shorthold tenancies.
Most assured private tenancies now operate periodically.
There is generally no effective fixed end date.
Landlords must provide important tenancy information in writing, rent increases follow a statutory process, upfront-rent demands are restricted, pet requests receive greater protection and tenant notice cannot normally be set beyond two months.
At the same time, familiar protections concerning deposits, repairs and privacy continue to matter.
Before agreeing to any tenancy, read the documentation carefully and understand:
what you will pay,
what you are responsible for,
how the tenancy can end,
and which terms are controlled by law rather than simply by the contract.
For a broader explanation of renter protections, continue with RentWizz’s Tenant Rights in England: 2026 Guide.
This article provides general information about private assured renting in England and does not constitute legal advice. Different rules apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and different arrangements may apply to lodgers, social housing, holiday accommodation, student accommodation and other tenancy types.
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