Tenancy Agreement Revision - 30th Sept 2024

We’ve recently conducted a thorough review of our tenancy agreements, in partnership with Dutton & Gregory Solicitors, to ensure they are fully up to date with current legal requirements and offer clarity to both landlords and tenants. Below, we’ve outlined the key changes made to the agreement template, which focus on simplifying definitions, updating legal references, and making minor revisions to important clauses. These changes are designed to improve transparency and help you better understand your rights and responsibilities during the tenancy, and will be part of our new Tenancy Agreement for future lets.

Key Changes to the Agreement

1. Updated Terminology
   1. The term “Term” has been replaced with “Tenancy” throughout the agreement for consistency and clarity.
2. Legislation References Simplified
   1. All legislation references now assume the phrase “as amended,” meaning any future updates to laws are automatically incorporated. We’ve removed the repeated use of “as amended” to make the document easier to read.

Revised Definitions

1. Tenancy Period
   1. “Original Term” has been changed to “Initial Fixed Term” for clarity on what this refers to within the agreement.
2. Gender Neutral Language
   1. We’ve removed gender-specific terms to ensure that the agreement is inclusive and gender-neutral.
3. Legislation Interpretation
   1. A new provision has been added to ensure any legal references are always read with the assumption that they include future amendments.

Tenant Obligations

1. Utility Payments
   1. The clause regarding utility payments has been reworded for simplicity, making it clear that tenants are responsible for paying all service charges during the tenancy.

Other Notable Changes

1. Rent Increases
   1. The Rent Increase clause has been updated to reflect the use of the most recent Retail Price Index (RPI) data when calculating rent increases.
   2. Additionally, if you prefer to use a Section 13 notice for rent increases, this clause can be removed from the agreement upon request.
2. Deposit Disputes
   1. A new sentence has been added to clarify that, in the event of a dispute over the deposit, either party can refer the issue to the deposit protection scheme for adjudication.

Updated Deposit Addendum

1. New Header
   1. The deposit addendum now has a revised header, replacing “Prescribed Information for your Deposit” with “Deposit Protection Information for your Tenancy,” to ensure clarity around the deposit protection process.

We’re confident these changes will streamline the agreement and make it easier to navigate for all parties involved. For a detailed view, the full changes are highlighted in our sample document. If you have any questions or would like to adjust clauses (e.g., rent increases), don’t hesitate to contact us for support.

Need Help?

Feel free to reach out if you have questions or require assistance with your tenancy agreement. We’re here to ensure a smooth and transparent process for both landlords and tenants.