An Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement is a residential
tenancy agreement where the annual rent is less than £25,000 and
the initial fixed term is for a period of not more than three
years. It provides the Landlord with an assured tenancy in that
the Landlord has a guaranteed right to repossess his property at
the end of the term. The Housing Act 1988 as amended by the
Housing Act 1996 provides requirements for AST agreements. Some
of the more important requirements are that the Tenant must be
an individual, the dwelling must be separate accommodation, and
the dwelling must be the Tenant's main or principal home. The
agreement cannot be an AST agreement where the Tenant is a
company, where there is no rent, low rent or high rent (above
£25,000). Other important exclusions include holiday lettings,
tenancies granted by a resident Landlord (a Landlord who lives
in the same property as the Tenant), tenancies let with property
of more than 2 acres of agricultural land and tenancies entered
into before 15 January 1989.
