Room Tenancy Agreement - room only AST contract

If you want to rent by the room rather than to a group of sharers (joint and severally liable for everything), you need a room only AST. This can be more convenient for all concerned. Tenants don't like being responsible for people they don't necessarily know that well yet, and if someone leaves it's easier to replace them rather than the whole tenancy falling apart.

Assured Shorthold Tenancies are the most common form of rental in the UK when the landlord doesn't live in the property - it's the default agreement if you don't specify another type when letting your property. An Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement allows the landlord or tenant to end the tenancy after an initial six month period, by giving notice to quit.

Room only ASTs mean all tenants are responsible for the upkeep of communal areas, but are individually and solely responsible for their own room and rent. Note, if you are a live in landlord taking in a lodger, you need a lodger agreement not an AST (unless you plan to put locks on their door so they have exclusive access to their room).

The SpareRoom Assured Shorthold Tenancy Room Agreement is suitable for landlords in England & Wales. It's available for just £7.50 for the PDF download version. We also have a regular AST for renting a whole property