Tenancy agreements

If your young person is going to rent somewhere to live, they should expect to enter into an agreement with their landlord/ lady. This agreement sets out:

• The expectations of what the landlord provides
• What they expect from your young person as a tenant

You would normally expect this agreement to contain: 

• The names of all people involved
• The rental price and how it's paid
• Information on how and when the rent will be reviewed
• The deposit amount and how it will be protected
• When the deposit can be fully or partly withheld. For example, to repair damage caused by tenants
• The property address
• The start and end date of the tenancy. Or the review date of the tenancy, if there is no end date
• Any tenant or landlord/ lady obligations
• Which bills the tenants (your young person) are responsible for

It can also include information on:

• Whether the tenancy can be ended early and how this can be done
• Who's responsible for minor repairs (other than those that the landlord/ lady is legally responsible for)
• Whether the property can be let to someone else (sublet) or have lodgers

There are different types of agreements, such as a tenancy agreement or tenancy license. These differ in terms of how much the tenant is protected. Find more information on different types of agreement.

It is important that your young person understands what the agreement means. Having an accessible agreement will help them understand how to be good tenants. Guidance for creating accessible information for tenants has been published by the National Housing Federation.