Many landlords use the same tenancy agreement for years, believing it is the best, not realising that things have moved on and that their documentation is no longer ‘fit for purpose’.
Or maybe your agreement, although adequate, does not work hard enough to protect your position?
- How can you be sure that YOUR tenancy agreement is the best that it can be?
- How can you tell whether it includes all the clauses necessary to protect your position?
- Are you sure it is the correct type for your situation?
- Have you reviewed it recently to check it is up to date?
This new course is what you need to help you make sure YOUR tenancy agreements are the best.
Your tenancy agreement is a really important document.
It sets out the rules under which your tenancy will operate and contains (or should contain) important clauses to allow the tenancy to operate properly.
If some of these clauses are missed out it can result in big problems for you:
For example:
- If your tenancy agreement does not specifically say that rent is payable in advance - your tenant will be legally entitled to pay in arrears
- If there are no clauses setting out the things you can make deductions for from your tenants' deposit - you may not be able to make any deductions at all
- If your tenancy agreement does not authorise you to use the grounds for possession in the Housing Act 1988 - you may not be able to evict your assured / assured shorthold tenants during the fixed term of your tenancy
Even if your tenancy agreement includes all the standard clauses - it can still be improved!
What about the type of tenancy agreement you are using?
Is it the right one for YOUR property?
Different tenancy types need different clauses. If you use the wrong one you can get into difficulties. For example:
- If you are renting out individual rooms in a shared house - you should not use 'bog standard' tenancy agreements designed for people sharing the whole of the property together
- If you are renting to a limited company, you should not use a tenancy agreement drafted for an AST rented to living people
- Is a tenancy agreement appropriate for your situation at all? If you are renting a room in your own home - that will normally be a lodger situation so you need a lodger agreement, not a tenancy agreement.
It is no good just downloading a free document from the internet
It may be wholly unsuitable for your property.
It could also be out of date - meaning that you are not properly protected:
- If your tenancy agreement seeks to charge fees to your tenants - This could put you in breach of the Tenant Fees legislation
- If the clauses in your tenancy agreement do not comply with the Unfair Terms rules they may be unenforceable.
- If your tenancy is actually an unregulated tenancy rather than an AST - It could contain the wrong clauses and be misleading
If you are a self managing landlord, or a letting agent, you really need to know the different types of tenancy and the clauses that you need to have.
So you can be sure that YOUR tenancy agreement will protect your position properly.
How can you do this?
By understanding the rules that apply to rented properties and how these affect tenancy agreements
And how can you do THAT?
Enter 'Tenancy Agreements, the Complete Course'
Hello!
I’m Tessa Shepperson, a specialist landlord & tenant solicitor. For many years I ran my own solicitors firm and now I provide training and information services to landlords and letting agents.
Quite a few years ago I became concerned about the tenancy agreements on offer which tend to be stuffed full of jargon, difficult to understand and set out in a confusing way.
I decided I wanted to offer something different and so I developed my own tenancy agreement templates. While doing this I considered and re-drafted every single clause, thinking about every word used, and the readability and enforceability of the clauses as a whole.
Since then I have regularly updated my tenancy agreements to take account of legal changes, and also the views and wishes of my Landlord Law members, many of whom made brilliant suggestions which have been incorporated.
As a result of doing this over the years, I have gained a huge amount of knowledge and insight into drafting documents generally and tenancy agreements in particular.
In this course I want to share that knowledge with you – so you will be able to understand the rules that apply, and produce the best documents possible for your tenants or (if you are a letting agent) your landlords.
To help you this course includes training on:
- Background information
- The different types of tenancy
- The elements of a tenancy, and
- Discussion about individual clauses and why they are needed
So what will you learn in my course?
After you have completed the course you should:
- Understand the different types of tenancy and the rules that apply to them
- Understand why some tenancy agreements are misleading and what you can do to correct this
- Know the different ways of dealing with shared properties and be able to work out which will be the best to use for your property
- Know the main types of clauses which go into a tenancy agreement and how they should be drafted
- Learn techniques for improving your position by the proper use of special clauses in your tenancy agreement
- Be able to amend your tenancy agreement properly without invalidating the clauses you are seeking to improve!
In short – you will be able to deal with your tenancy agreements in a professional manner and to your best advantage.
Making training interesting
One of the problems with most training courses is that they tend to be boring – full of jargon-filled manuals which are difficult to read and absorb. You may even find yourself drifting off to sleep!
I can’t guarantee that will never happen with this course, but I have tried to make it as interesting as I can.
For example, we have:
- Clear explanations with a lot of bulleted text to make it easier to follow
- Explanatory diagrams to help you understand tricky points
- Lots of videos - Including interviews with experts and recordings from our Landlord Law training events and webinars
- 'Test yourself' quizzes at the end of most lessons - so you can check what you have learned
- You can also listen to an audio version of the text - you may find that this helps you understand the text better
- And we provide a PDF version which you can print out - although you will need to visit the online version to watch the videos or listen to the audio.
People learn in different ways:
For example, you may prefer reading text on the page – so you will appreciate having the pdf versions which you can print out.
Or you may find learning through watching videos easier. Some people love listening to podcasts and appreciate being able to download the audios which you can listen to in your car.
Practically everyone enjoys the ‘test yourself’ sections that we have at the end of the lessons. They are a learning process in themselves – as if you get the answer wrong, that will help you learn what the right answer is!
We try to ‘switch things up’ as much as possible to create variety – including using pictures and diagrams which can also help. It all goes to create a more enjoyable learning experience for you. Which will help you learn better!
Lets now take a look at what the course contains.
What the course contains
Here is an outline of the main content:
Introduction
- A general summary of the content
PART 1 - LEGAL BACKGROUND (1)
- Tenancies & licenses
- Oral tenancies
- The 3 functions of tenancy agreements
PART 1 - LEGAL BACKGROUND (2)
- Assured & assured shorthold tenancies
- Protected tenancies
- Common law / unregulated tenancies
- Student lets
- HMOs
- When tenancy types change
Part 3 - Why tenancy agreements are misleading
- Things that apply whether mentioned or not
- Void or unenforceable clauses
- The unfair terms rules
Part 4 - Shared Properties
- The law on shared ownership
- Introduction to sharing property
- Where all tenants sign one agreement
- Where tenants can sublet to lodgers
- Renting a room in a shared hose
- Disorganised comings and goings
Part 5 - Individual Clauses (1)
- The Property
- Parties
- Agents
- Fixed terms and periodic tenancies
- Rent and rent review clauses
- Deposits
Part 6 - Individual Clauses (2)
- Covenant of quiet enjoyment
- Bills
- Use of properties (incl business use, guests & pets)
- Repair and re-decoration
- Notices
- Insurance, inspection, access, keys
- Data protection
- Ending the tenancy
Part 7 - Creating, amending and revising
- Appendices and house rules
- Creating a tenancy agreement
- Signing tenancy agreements,
- Other issues
- Reviewing and amendment
Bonus material
Including the Landlord Law Legal Basics courses.
But why do you need to know all of this?
Background Information
A tenancy is a legal document conferring a significant legal right to your tenants. It's important to do it correctly. If you have a good background knowledge of the rules that apply to tenancies and occupation rights generally you will understand why things need to be done in a certain way and will be far less likely to make mistakes
Misleading content:
Because they are complex legal documents, people who are unfamiliar with the rules can easily include clauses which are unenforceable, or just plain wrong. Which can cause problems for both you and your tenants. If you understand how this can happen you can prevent misleading content in your tenancy agreements.
Shared properties:
Although many tenancies are granted to one person living alone, probably the majority are to people sharing with others. In order to set these tenancies up properly, you need to know what the options are so you can choose the best one for your situation. A 'bog standard' AST with everyone signing the same tenancy agreement may not be appropriate for you.
Individual clauses
Tenancies tend to be long documents with lots of clauses. You may wonder why this is necessary and why you can't have a nice short agreement which saves paper. However when you learn about the different clauses and why they are there you will be less anxious to remove them! These two sections will give you a good working knowledge of the main types of clause which are necessary to create a good working tenancy agreement.
Creating, amending and revising
This is the section with practical guidance on how to actually create a tenancy agreement properly. It is also where were give advice on amending a pre-drafted agreement. Landlords often change tenancy agreements but because they are not lawyers they do not realise that their amendments can have the opposite effect to what they intended! In this section we give guidance on what you can change safely and what things you need to leave to the professionals.
There are two versions of the course
The Standard version and the +Plus version
The +Plus Version
As this course is all about drafting tenancy agreements I thought it would be helpful to make some of my documents available to you.
These will be the same as the documents available to my Landlord Law members and are created via our ‘document generator’ – a sort of online mail merge system.
Needless to say – if you are a Landlord Law member you should not get the +Plus version as you already have access to all the documents as part of your membership!
The documents will be made available with Parts 6 and 7 of the course.
The Documents provided will include:
- My ‘bog standard’ AST – versions for England and Wales
- The Pets permission form – this amends a tenancy agreement by permitting pets and introducing special clauses
- Lodger agreement and lodger permission form – these are useful if you want to permit your tenants to take in lodgers
- Home Business Permission Form – this amends your tenancy to include suitable clauses to protect your position if you allow your tenant to run a home business.
Delivery of the course
To allow you time to work through all the material we are delivering the course over a three week period as follows:
You will get immediate access to Parts 1 - 3 upon payment
Seven days later you will get access to Parts 4 and 5
The final parts 6 and 7 will be released after 14 days.
Your access to all seven parts will then remain until the end of your one year period.
Mobile Friendly website
All our content is hosted on a mobile responsive website, which allows you to read and study our training easily, and watch the videos on most devices, including smart-phones and tablets.
So it can easily be accessed, for example on your smart-phone, while travelling or waiting in a queue. Don’t waste that time! Use it!
Be aware that the course is wholly electronic. Nothing is sent out by post.
Our guarantee to you
If you find the course is unsuitable for you in any way – all you need to do is email us requesting a cancellation not later than 30 days after purchase, giving your reason why.
We will then cancel your purchase (and your access) and refund your money within 14 days.
Your questions answered:
How soon do I get access to the course material?
A: You will get immediate access to parts 1 - 3. Access to the rest of the course will be granted over the following 2 weeks as set out above.
If I get the +Plus version, when do I get access to the documents?
A: You will get access to the documents in the third week along with Parts 6 and 7. They will then be made available via a special 'Documents page'
How long do I get access?
A: You will get access for a period of one year. Access to all our courses is time-limited as the material becomes out of date after a while. However, you can download and keep the pdf and audio versions.
What if I can't access the course or if it does not work on my computer?
A: It should do, this is a standard WordPress website. However, if you have a problem you can always contact us via the green button support service - you will find the green buttons bottom right on all pages on the site. If the problem cannot be resolved, you can claim your money back under our guarantee.
I prefer not to pay online – can I pay by BACS or cheque?
A: No. We only accept payment via our online system. However, you can elect to pay by either credit / debit card or PayPal.
I am based in Wales, can I use the course?
A: Yes it will be suitable for you. There are some differences but these will be flagged up in the text.
I am based in Scotland, can I use the course?
A: The course is written for rented properties in England or Wales UK only. Scotland has a different legal system, as does Northern Ireland. Sorry.
I am a Landlord Law member – do I need the course?
A: The course will be helpful for all landlords and agents and the material is different from the Landlord Law content (although some of the content may be similar - which is why members get a discount). However, if you are a Landlord Law member - don't get the +Plus version with the documents as you can get all the documents as part of your membership entitlement.
Are there any special discounts?
A: Landlord Law members can get a 10% discount if they are logged in at the time of purchase, and can offset their Landlord Law points. There are also occasional time limited promotions.
Can I download the course content to my computer?
A: You will be able to download the pdf version and the audios but the main course with the videos and questions is only available online.
Can I ask you questions about my particular issues?
A: The course does not include any ‘one to one’ advice element (other than for technical issues, such as access to the course). However, if you are a Landlord Law member you will be able to ask questions via our members’ forum.
If I get the standard version but then decide I would like the +Plus version, can I upgrade?
A: Yes, but you will need to pay the difference in cost between the two versions at the time of upgrade plus a £15 admin charge. To upgrade, contact us via the support service.
Do we get CPD?
We are not planning on providing any CPD but if there is sufficient demand we could provide this as an optional extra later. Note that there are 'test yourself' quizzes at the end of most lessons, but these are not formal CPD tests.
How to buy
- If you are a Landlord Law member or if you have bought anything else from us in the past:
e.g. the Property Inspection Kit or another course:
You should log into the site first. Use your email (the one your used for your last purchase) your username and if you can’t remember your password, click the lost password link to get a new one.
Note that Landlord Law members can offset their points against the cost find out about this here (the page will open in a new tab or window).
Then:
- Click one of the buy now buttons
- This will take you to the purchase page
- You can pay either by PayPal or by credit / debit card
- You can pay either by PayPal or by credit / debit card
If you are a Landlord Law member and have problems offsetting your points – buy without offsetting and let us know. So long as you let us know within 7 days, we will do a manual refund for you.
- Once the payment goes through you will be granted immediate access to the course 'dashboard'
Here where you will be able to access the initial parts of the course. You should also receive several emails – one will be a receipt for your payment, the other will have information on how to access the course.
- The remaining parts of the course will become available automatically after 7 days and after 14 days. You will be notified by email.
If you have any problems you will find guidance in the Help documents linked from the green button at the bottom right of every page or via the Help Docs link on the Services menu on the site header.
All courses are sold subject to our standard terms and conditions (the link will open in a new window or tab).
*Note – Do not buy the +Plus version if you are a Landlord Law member as the additional documents are included with your membership.
But why not try before you buy?
We have a free ‘HMO 101’ course which is written using the same software and in a similar style – which will give you an idea of what is on offer. Note that the course will open in a new tab or window:
Please now select one of the options below:
There are two versions of the course
The Standard version and the +Plus version
Tenancy Agreements, the Complete Course +Plus Version
The course is in seven parts as follows:
- Parts 1 and 2 – Legal background information
- Part 3 -Why tenancy agreements are misleading
- Part 4 – Shared properties
- Parts 5 and 6 – Individual clauses
- Part 7 – Creating, amending and revising
The +Plus forms are:
- Our standard AST agreement – versions for England & Wales
- The Pets permission form
- Lodger agreement and lodger permission form
- Home Business Permission Form
Cost – £216 (£180 + VAT)
Tenancy Agreements, the Complete Course
The course is in seven parts as follows:
- Parts 1 and 2 – Legal background information
- Part 3 -Why tenancy agreements are misleading
- Part 4 – Shared properties
- Parts 5 and 6 – Individual clauses
- Part 7 – Creating, amending and revising
(Get this version of you are a Landlord Law member – as you already have access to the forms as part of your membership).
Cost – £180 (£150 + VAT)
Some feedback from people who bought our 'Managing your Rented Property Within the Law' course last year:
