What an Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreement Must Include

A periodic tenancy agreement template for England must create a rolling tenancy with rent due monthly or every 28 days or less, no fixed term, and the prescribed written information: parties, notice address, property, start date, rent, bills, deposit, how the tenancy ends, landlord repair and safety duties, and the tenant’s right to request a pet.

Last updated: 2 November 2026. Applies to England unless stated.

This guide applies to private assured tenancies in England created on or after 1 May 2026. Wales and Scotland have separate tenancy regimes and different documents. For the wider context, start with our guide to assured periodic tenancy agreements.

Where the requirements come from

Two sources decide what goes into an assured periodic tenancy agreement.

First, the Housing Act 1988 as amended by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Section 4A, inserted by section 1 of the 2025 Act, makes fixed-term terms of no effect and voids rent periods longer than a month. Section 16D, inserted by section 12, requires the landlord to give a written statement of prescribed terms and information before the tenancy is entered into.

Second, The Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/324. The Schedule to those Regulations lists what the written statement must contain.

The written statement can sit inside the tenancy agreement or be given as a separate document. Either way, it must reach the tenant before you sign the agreement or agree the tenancy. GOV.UK says failure could result in a fine of up to £7,000.

The clause checklist

Use this table to check any periodic tenancy agreement template before you rely on it. The “required” column reflects the Schedule to SI 2026/324 and the Housing Act 1988 as amended. “Recommended” items are good practice rather than prescribed.

The Schedule’s wording is detailed and some items only apply in particular circumstances. Check the Regulations themselves, or use a template maintained against them, rather than relying on a summary.

Clauses that must not appear

A periodic tenancy agreement template is as much about what is left out as what goes in. These terms either have no effect or conflict with the law since 1 May 2026.

• A fixed term or minimum term. Of no effect under section 4A. The tenancy runs as a periodic tenancy.
• Rent periods longer than a month. Quarterly or annual rent periods are void, and the tenancy is treated as having monthly periods.
• Section 21 wording. You cannot serve a section 21 notice on a private tenancy from 1 May 2026, even if the agreement says you can.
• Rent review or automatic increase clauses. GOV.UK says you must follow the section 13 process every time you increase rent, even if the tenant agrees.
• Rent in advance after the tenancy starts. Terms requiring it are not valid.
• Tenant notice of more than two months. You cannot ask a tenant to give more.
• Non-cash deposits. Taking a deposit in any form other than money is illegal.
• A blanket pet ban with no request route. The tenant has a statutory right to ask, and you need a fair reason to refuse.

For tenancies created before 1 May 2026, our clause-by-clause review of old AST templates explains what to do with each of these.

Getting the core terms right

Parties and joint tenants

Name every tenant. In a joint tenancy, all tenants on the agreement are responsible for the rent. Make sure everyone named receives the written information.

Rent and payment

State the amount, the rent period and the due date. Keep the rent period monthly, or 28 days or shorter. Before signing you can take a holding deposit of up to one week’s rent but no rent. Between signing and the start date you can ask for the first month’s rent, or up to 28 days’ rent if it is paid more often.

Deposit

The tenancy deposit is capped at five weeks’ rent where annual rent is under £50,000, or six weeks’ at £50,000 or more. It must be protected in a government-approved scheme. Protection and prescribed information also affect whether you can use most possession grounds later.

Rent increases

Rent can rise once a year and not in the first year, using Form 4A with at least two months’ notice. A tenant can challenge the proposed rent at the First-tier Tribunal if they think it is above open market rent. See rent increases under the Renters’ Rights Act.

Pets

The agreement can require the tenant to ask before keeping a pet. You must reply in writing within 28 days, can ask for more information, and must give reasons if you refuse.

Ending the tenancy

The tenant can end the tenancy with two months’ notice. You can only end it with a section 8 notice on Form 3A and a statutory ground, followed by a court order if the tenant does not leave. Grounds 1 and 1A cannot take effect within the first 12 months. See our Section 8 grounds guide.

How to prepare and issue the agreement

1. Start from a Renters’ Rights Act template, not an AST with edits.
2. Complete every required item in the checklist above.
3. Add any prior-notice ground statements you may need, such as for student lets.
4. Remove anything on the “must not appear” list.
5. Give the agreement and written statement to every tenant before signing, with time to read it.
6. Keep evidence of when and how you gave it.
7. Protect the deposit and serve the scheme’s prescribed information.
8. Diary the key dates – the 12-month point and the earliest rent increase date.

You can record those dates on the ORBIT property timeline, with automated alerts, alongside gas safety, EICR and EPC dates for the property.

This guide is general information, not legal advice.