Assured Tenancy

An assured tenancy is a legal category of residential tenancy to an individual (or individuals jointly) in England and Wales that can be contrasted to a tenancy beyond seven years (a lease) and affords by statute a degree of security of tenure to the tenant. A tenant under an assured tenancy may not be evicted without a reasonable ground in the Housing Act 1988 and, where periodic, changes in rent are potentially subject to a challenge before a Rent Assessment Committee.

Assured tenancies were introduced by the Housing Act 1988 that applies to tenancies entered from its commencement date or those assured tenancies it converted from the Housing Act 1980. The Act replaced most of the greater rent protection under the Rent Act 1977 and in rarer cases, other Rent Acts. However since 28 February 1997, all new residential tenancies with three excpetions are deemed to be assured shorthold tenancies. These exceptions are those excluded by notice before or after the tenancy, those specifying it is not a shorthold, and lettings to existing assured tenants.