Tenancy agreement template (Renters' Rights Act 2025)

Why it matters

An agreement that still references a fixed term, a Section 21 no-fault route or an old-style break clause will look out of date to a tenant, an ombudsman or a court, even where the rest of it is sound.

Legal requirements

• Name every landlord and every tenant in full, with an address for service in England or Wales.
• State the rent amount, the rent period (weekly or monthly) and the day it falls due.
• Confirm the deposit amount, the scheme it will be protected in, and that it does not exceed the statutory cap.
• Reference the repairing obligations that cannot be contracted out of, including fitness for human habitation.
• Attach the statutory documents served at the start of the tenancy.

Common mistakes

• Copying an old assured shorthold template and simply changing the title.
• Leaving a fixed end date in the term clause when the tenancy is periodic.
• Charging fees that are banned under the Tenant Fees Act.
• Failing to list every joint tenant, which makes later notices harder to serve.

Practical guidance

• Complete the template, then read it aloud once — anything you cannot explain to the tenant should be simplified.
• Serve it together with the statutory pack so the whole bundle is dated the same day.
• Have all landlords and all tenants sign, and keep the signed copy for the life of the tenancy plus six years.