Assured Tenancies - what are assured tenancies?
Assured tenancies are usually granted by Housing Associations or Housing Trusts etc. They offer some security in that as long as you do not break the terms of the tenancy agreement you can continue to live in the property, (unless the tenancy is an Assured Tenancy for a fixed term in which case it will come to an end at the end of the fixed term).
An Assured Tenancy must:
1. Be let as a separate residence. There can be some shared facilities with other tenants (but not the landlord) as long as the unshared accommodation is separate.
2. Tenants must be individuals, not companies.
3. Tenants must occupy the property as their principal home.
4. The property must not have a high rateable value (high rateable value is usually over £1,500 in London and over £750 elsewhere) or if the tenancy is granted after the 1st of April 1990. Rent must not be more than £25,000 per annum.
5. Tenancies at low rent cannot be assured tenancies (i.e. rent free or less than two-thirds of the rateable value, or if granted after 1st April 1990, less than £1,000 per annum in London or less than £250 elsewhere).
6. The property cannot be business premises or licensed premises such as public houses.
7. The property cannot be agricultural or holdings.
8. The lettings to students by certain educational institutions are excluded.
9. Holiday lettings are not classed as assured tenancies if the right to occupy is simply for a holiday.
10. A tenancy cannot be an assured tenancy if there is a resident landlord, (this does not apply to purpose-built blocks of flats).
11. Crown tenancies (this does not include properties owned or managed by the Crown Estates Commissioners).
If any of the above exceptions apply then the tenancy will not be a secure tenancy.
Grounds for Possession of an Assured Tenancy