An AST is a contractual agreement between a landlord and their tenant. It sets out the terms and obligations both parties agree to during the tenancy.
This protects both the tenant's and the landlord’s rights, and clearly sets out who is legally responsible for what at the property.
It is the most common form of tenancy in England, and represents more than 81% of all agreements.
However, ASTs are set to be scrapped under the Renters’ Rights Bill, which is expected to pass Parliament in late 2025.
This article explains what an AST is, how they are changing and what action landlords can take.
How do ASTs Work?
ASTs are usually signed when you move into a property and can be renewed or changed once the contract period ends.
Assured shorthold tenancies are similar to shorthold tenancies, but the latter provides less security, as landlords can evict tenants without giving a reason using Section 21 of the Housing Act - these are often known as “no fault evictions”.
Under an assured tenancy they can only evict residents using a specific legal ground under Section 8.
You need your tenant’s written consent to change an agreement before the contract ends.
Currently, you can only offer an AST if you fulfill the following conditions:
✔️You are a housing association or private landlord
✔️The tenancy agreement began on or after 15 January 1989
✔️The property is the tenant's main home
✔️You don’t live at the property
Your tenancy is not an AST if:
❌The tenancy started or was signed before 15 January 1989
❌The rent is over £100,000 per annum
❌The rent is under £1,000 per annum in London, or under £250 per annum in the rest of the country
❌The rental agreement pertains to a business property or licensed premises
❌The property is a holiday rental
❌You (the the landlord) are a local council
How Assured Shorthold Tenancies Are Changing
The Renters Reform Bill will eventually abolish ASTs and shorthold tenancies in England.
Once the reforms are in place, all new tenancies covered by the bill will be periodic from the outset. That means no fixed terms, just rolling tenancies with no end date.
Tenants will be able to leave at any time by giving two months’ notice.
Section 21 evictions will also be abolished, while at the same time, Section 8 grounds for possession will be strengthened.
This will make it easier for landlords to evict residents if they have a genuine reason, such as:
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They want to sell the property.
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The resident has repeatedly fallen into rent arrears.
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They, or their immediate family, want to move into the property.
For landlords, this means a move away from the fixed-term model. While rolling tenancies offer more flexibility, they also require more active management - especially around notice periods, rent increases, and planning for possession.
When will these changes be introduced?
The government has said changes will be phased in, with a transition period to allow landlords time to adjust.
Existing ASTs will still be honoured and the pre-Renters’ Reform regulations will apply to them. These will not automatically convert to rolling tenancies until a later date set by secondary legislation.
However, no definite dates have been issued for any of the changes.
What tenancies aren’t covered by the Renters’ Rights Bill?
It’s worth noting that the new rules won’t apply to all tenancies. Excluded tenancies include:
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Secure or introductory council tenancies: These are for local authority residents and are covered by the Housing Act 1985.
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Excluded/non-assured tenancies: These rental agreements don’t meet the legal criteria for an assured or AST - often due to low or high rent, resident landlords, or use as holiday or employment-related accommodation.
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Company lets: This is when a company rents your property from you for its employees to live in. The Housing Act 1988 does not apply to corporate tenants.
How to Create an Assured Shorthold Tenancy
At the time of writing, landlords are still free to offer residents ASTs.
The easiest way to create your own AST is to get a property solicitor and ask them to do it for you.
This approach is:
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Fast
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Tailored to your circumstances
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Professional and watertight
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Expensive
A cheaper option is to use a template. For example, the UK government website provides a free model tenancy agreement for ASTs.
AST features
An Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement should include the following:
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Names of all parties involved in the tenancy
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Landlord’s name and address
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Address of the property
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Length of the contract
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The deposit you require
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A rent review clause explaining when and how rent will be increased and what notice you’ll give
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Detailed terms such as when the resident must to pay rent, who’s responsible for bills, who will look after the garden, etc.
You should also mention any break clauses, which allow you or your tenant to end the tenancy early. It usually applies after a set period (e.g. one month’s notice after six months of a 12-month term).
Things to include with an AST
Once your tenant has signed your AST agreement, you are legally required to provide them with the following documents:
📄Gas safety certificate
📄Energy performance certificate
What if I want to make changes to the tenancy agreement?
You must get the agreement of your residents if you want to make changes to the terms of their tenancy. It is illegal to change the agreement without their consent.
Landlord AST Obligations
As a landlord providing an AST, you will be expected to:
✔️Follow correct eviction procedures when required
✔️Protect your tenants’ deposits
✔️Arrange an annual gas safety check
✔️Keep the house habitable and in a good state of repair
✔️Adhere to the rent outlined in the AST
✔️Provide tenants with at least 24 hours’ notice before visiting the property, and respect their right to privacy
Tenant AST Obligations
Residents must:
✔️Pay the rent in full and on time when required
✔️Treat the property well
✔️Report any problems to the landlord
✔️Behave in a way that doesn’t upset other tenants or neighbours
✔️Don’t break the law while in the property
✔️Give the appropriate notice when it is time to move out
Ending an Assured Shorthold Tenancy
There are several ways that ASTs can end. The most common are:
The fixed term tenancy comes to an end: This could happen if the tenant moves out, you and the tenant agree to sign a new fixed-term contract or if the tenant continues living at the property. In the latter case, the tenancy automatically switches to a rolling periodic tenancy (more on this later).
You or your tenant triggers a break clause: As mentioned, this needs to happen after the agreed period has expired.
You issue a Section 21 notice: This is obtained via the courts to evict the tenant and regain possession of the property. As mentioned, the tenant doesn’t have to have done anything wrong.
You issue a Section 8 notice: This is also obtained via the court for when the tenant has broken the terms of their AST agreement and you want to evict them.
Joint tenancies
If you have joint tenants and one of them wishes to leave during the tenancy then they still need to pay you rent. You may agree to release them from the contract. If you do, the current joint tenancy will come to an end and a new contract will need to be granted to the remaining tenants.
For more information, check out our article on joint tenancies.
What if my Tenant Refuses to Leave the Property?
You cannot remove your tenants by force. If the notice period expires and your tenants do not leave the property, you can start the process of eviction through the courts.
How to Convert an AST into a Periodic Tenancy
In most cases, landlords don’t need to take any action to switch an AST to a rolling tenancy.
Once the Renters Reform Bill takes effect, existing ASTs will automatically convert to statutory periodic tenancies when they expire.
No paperwork is needed, and the terms of the original AST will still apply unless changed by law. For example, if the tenant was responsible for the garden under the AST, that remains true under the periodic arrangement.
If you'd prefer to put the new arrangement in writing, there are two options:
Contractual periodic tenancy
Create a new written agreement that sets out the terms of the rolling tenancy and takes effect as soon as the AST ends. This offers clarity around notice periods, rent payments and responsibilities.
New periodic tenancy agreement
If you want to update key terms (e.g. rent, deposit arrangements), you can mutually agree to end the current AST and start a new periodic tenancy. Both parties must sign the new agreement.
This creates a break in tenancy history, so it's worth getting legal advice to avoid issues with deposit protection or continuity.
Make Managing Your Properties Easier with EVO
One of a landlord’s main responsibilities under an AST agreement is keeping their property well-maintained. This is where EVO can help.
Housing providers can outsource all of their repairs and maintenance to our digital platform.
It uses a combination of modern technology, automation and data to improve communication between landlords, residents and tradespeople, resulting in more efficient, high-quality repairs.
Here’s how it works:
✔️ Rapid reporting: Your residents can quickly and easily report a problem via the EVO app.
✔️ ️Fast response: Once a problem is reported, it is verified by our helpdesk before being automatically assigned to the next available suitably qualified tradesperson.
✔️ ️Convenient: Residents choose a timeslot that suits them or hand in a key at a secure drop-off.
✔️ Professional workmanship: Our certified tradespeople are available 24 hours a day, ensuring a fast response and quality workmanship.
✔️ Reminders:To make sure residents are at the property so the repairs can take place.
✔️ Service history: All jobs and services are logged and easily accessible, with completion notes and images.
✔️ Compliance: Gas safety compliance, electrical testing and more, with digital records and service reports all in one place.
✔️ Emergency cover: Providing trustworthy 24/7 emergency services in case of serious issues.
✔️ Peace of mind: All work is covered by a 12-month EVO warranty.
✔️ Manage all repairs: Our landlord dashboard allows you to see what repairs are being made, at which property, when and by whom. This ensures you never lose track of your repairs and maintenance.
Get in touch to find out how we can help take the stress and hassle out of being a landlord.
