Renting
Tenancy agreements: 10 things to check before you sign
6 min read · Updated June 2026
A tenancy agreement is a contract that governs where you live, what you pay, and how hard it is to leave — and most people read it for the first time with the agent watching, pen in hand. Read it the night before instead. Here are the ten things to check, in the order they tend to matter.
1. The term and the break clause
How long is the fixed term, and can either side end it early? A break clause (e.g. at month 6 of a 12-month term) is your escape hatch if the job moves or the boiler saga never ends. Check exactly when it can be exercised, how much notice it needs, and whether it works both ways — a landlord-only break clause is worth pushing back on.
2. The rent, and when it can change
Confirm the amount, the due date, and how increases work. Within a fixed term the rent can only rise if the agreement says so — look for a 'rent review' clause and scrutinise its terms. Vague wording like 'market rate at landlord's discretion' deserves a question before signing, not after.
3. What's included in the rent
Bills? Council tax? Broadband? Garden maintenance? Assume nothing is included unless written down. If the listing said 'bills included', the agreement must say it too.
4. The deposit and how it's protected
The amount (capped at 5 weeks' rent in England), which government scheme will hold it, and when you'll receive the protection certificate — within 30 days of payment, by law.
5. The pet clause
Blanket 'no pets' clauses are increasingly disfavoured — landlords are expected to consider requests reasonably — but the agreement's wording still matters in practice. If you have or plan pets, get explicit written consent in the agreement itself, not a verbal 'should be fine'.
6. Repairs and who handles them
The landlord is legally responsible for the structure, heating, hot water and sanitation regardless of what the contract says. But check how repairs are reported, who the managing agent is, and any response-time commitments. A named emergency contact is a good sign.
7. Joint tenancy obligations
Sharing? Most agreements make all tenants 'jointly and severally liable' — meaning if your flatmate skips, the landlord can pursue you for their share of the rent. Know what you're co-signing and with whom.
8. Notice requirements at the end
How much notice must you give, in what form, and to whom? Miss the mechanics (e.g. 'notice must expire on the last day of a rental period') and a tenancy can roll on a month longer than you intended — with rent due.
9. Fees and charges
In England, the Tenant Fees Act bans most charges: no admin fees, no check-out fees, no professional cleaning fees. Permitted: rent, the capped deposit, a capped holding deposit, default fees for late rent or lost keys (within limits). Anything else listed in the agreement is likely unenforceable — and a red flag about the landlord.
10. Every verbal promise, in writing
The landlord will repaint the bedroom, fix the fence, replace the washing machine? Lovely. If it isn't written into the agreement or a signed addendum, it does not exist. The golden rule of tenancy agreements is that the document is the deal.
The short version
- Read the agreement before signing day — ask for it by email in advance
- Break clause, rent review terms and notice mechanics are where the surprises live
- In England most fees beyond rent and capped deposits are illegal under the Tenant Fees Act
- Joint tenancies make you liable for your housemates' rent — know who you're signing with
- If a promise isn't in writing, it doesn't exist
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