Assured Tenancy
A residential tenancy under which the tenant has long-term security under the Housing Act 1988. Since the Renters' Rights Act reforms took effect on 1 May 2026, assured tenancies (including former assured shorthold tenancies) automatically run on a rolling periodic basis rather than for a fixed term.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
Government guidance for landlords, updated to reflect the abolition of fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies, defines the current form of the tenancy simply: 'An assured periodic tenancy (APT) is a type of tenancy held between a landlord and a tenant.' The reform was sweeping and automatic rather than requiring landlords to take any action: 'You cannot create an assured shorthold tenancy (AST). All assured shorthold tenancies automatically became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026.'
The practical effect is that fixed terms have gone from assured tenancies altogether. The guidance states that 'Assured tenancies must run on a rolling basis, for example, weekly or monthly. They cannot be for longer than a month at a time.' A landlord who tries to grant a tenancy with an end date will find that the end date simply does not apply — the tenancy instead continues on a rolling basis until it is ended by agreement, by the tenant, or by the landlord obtaining possession through the proper legal process.
Related terms
Official sources
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