By Tony Booth

The following enquiry from a PS member covers many, many similar questions from landlords and provides me with a good excuse to explain the often confusing rules and regulations that apply to Statutory Periodic Tenancies.

Hi Tony

I have some questions that I need to have answered and I hope you can help me. I signed my tenants on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement, this was for a 6 months period starting in Feb 2007, and I let it run on after the first 6 months rather than completing another AST Agreement, I believed this to be okay but I now feel unsure.

Should I be signing another agreement with the Tenant for each 6 monthly
period that they stay in the property? Is it still legal to let them continue renting without another actual signed AST Agreement? Can I give them notice to end the AST at anytime during the subsequent 6 monthly periods, say before the 6 months are up? e.g. Give two months notice in month 7 to vacate in month 9!