Extending Tenancy Agreement?

Annando

We have been renting the house we live in for the past 11 months, in a little over a month's time the tenancy agreement comes to an end (It was a fixed term 12 months one). We would like to continue (extend) the tenancy for another 12 months.
What steps should we take? It is all done through a letting agency as the LL lives abroad. I am slightly worried because we haven't heard from them regarding the tenancy. I would have thought that they should have contacted us 2 months before the end of the tenancy?

This is the the first time we are renting so we don't really know what to do...

Thank you in advance for any replies.

Nixer

Once the 12 months is up you go into a periodic tenancy - what that means is that the landlord/la can give you 2 months notice to leave and you give them one. If you would prefer the security of signing another agreement for 12 months you should contact the LA and ask. I think most LAs charge an admin fee to both tenant and landlord if the agreement is renewed - your contract will probably state this. Quite often landords don't bother to get you to sign another one.

G_M

A new fixed term contract (whether 6 or 12 months or any other length) will give you security; you can't be kicked out till it ends.
On the downside it removes your flexibility; you can't leave before it ends.
It will probobly also cost you something to renew via the agent.

The aterntive is to do nothing. As Nixer says, your contract will simply become periodic and run on for ever from month to month till one side gives the other notice.

Annando

Thank you! That was to the point!
We are thinking of buying a house so will probably go for the no fixed period.
Cheers!