Draft tenancy agreements
A tenancy agreement sets out both a landlord and a tenant’s responsibilities and rights. A properly prepared agreement drafted by an experienced solicitor reduces the risk of disputes later.
When drafting an agreement, we will talk to you about including the following:
- Reasonable restrictions. Do you want to prevent your tenant from smoking, keeping pets, redecorating the property, playing loud music etc.?
- Rent and service charge details. How much will you charge? How often will you increase the rent? Will there be penalties for late payment?
- Bills. Who will pay the bills and council tax?
- Deposits. How much deposit will you ask for? If the annual rent is less than £50,000, you cannot ask the tenant to pay more than five weeks’ rent as a deposit.
- Fixtures and fittings. Consider including an inventory of fixtures and fittings as part of a record of the property’s condition at the beginning of the tenancy.
- Access. How often will you access the property? You must normally give a tenant 24 hours’ notice before visiting.
Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, you have a duty to make sure your property remains safe, in good repair and fit for human habitation. Your tenant is responsible for the daily maintenance of the property. The agreement will specify each party’s responsibilities in detail to reduce the chance of misunderstandings.