Your tenancy agreement

The tenancy agreement is your contract with the landlord. It sets out their legal rights and responsibilities, as well as yours as a tenant. Read through the agreement thoroughly before you sign it and take the time to ask as many questions as you need to about the property and the tenancy.

If you are unsure of any part of the agreement or think that any of the terms are unfair, be sure to seek advice before you sign it. Remember, a tenancy agreement is a legally binding contract.

Tenancy agreements are generally written, but this is not a legal requirement and they can be verbal. It’s harder to prove what was agreed if it isn’t in writing, so we do not recommend entering into verbal tenancy agreements.

Types of agreement

Licence agreement

If you are living with your landlord you are likely to have a licence agreement rather than a tenancy agreement. This gives you fewer rights than a tenancy agreement, so make sure you check the terms carefully and seek advice if you are unsure of anything.

Assured shorthold tenancy (AST)

This is the most common type of tenancy agreement. It gives the tenants exclusive possession of the property for a fixed term, usually six or 12 months. ASTs can be single or joint tenancies.

Single tenancy

You will be renting a room with access to communal areas in shared accommodation on an individual basis. This means you may not have any choice over who else lives in the house.

Joint tenancy

You will be renting the house as a group and all the tenants’ names will be on the contract, meaning you will all be jointly and severally liable for the rent. This means that if one of you doesn’t pay their share the landlord can pursue the rest of the tenants or their guarantors for it.

Referees and guarantors

Referees

An agency or private landlord will probably ask you to provide references who they can contact to check that you are a suitable tenant and will pay your rent on time. The agency will be able to tell you who is an acceptable referee.

The university will provide references for students who have been in halls of residence.

Guarantors

It is common for student tenants to be asked to provide a guarantor. A guarantor is someone who agrees to meet the tenant’s full obligations if they cannot. This may include paying their rent and paying for damage to the property. Bear in mind that if you are signing a joint tenancy your guarantor could potentially end up having to pay your housemates’ share of the rent if they default on their payments. Guarantors usually need to be home owners with steady long-term employment.

International students need to be aware that they may be asked to pay between four and 12 months’ rent in advance if they do not have a UK–based guarantor. It is worth trying to negotiate better terms if you can.

Advice about your tenancy agreement

If you have any questions about a tenancy contract or are unsure about something on it, contact the accommodation office for advice.

If you have more specific or detailed questions please contact our housing advice officer.