Short term let

JennyP

I have a flat which I rent out room by room.

Never had a void before but a combination of circumstances - illness, bereavement, tenant leaving room in a mess and potential tenants credit check taking ten days to come through but then being a fail - I now have a void.

Got someone who potentially wants it but not for a month and someone else wanting a month's let. This could obviously work out.

But I've never done a short term let before. Does it have to be on a different contract? An AST is a minimum of six months isn't it? Presumably I'd still take a deposit?

Is there anything I should be considering? Any pitfalls?

G_M

No. An AST can be for any length you and the tenant agree: 6 months or more, or less. 3 months. 1 month. Even 1 week.

The catch is that you (the landlord) cannot serve a valid S21 Notice to expire within the first 6 months, so say you grant a 1 month AST:
* the tenant can leave without notice after the 1 month is up
* but if they stay longer, you have to wait till month 4 to serve a S21 to expire in month 6 (despite what the agreed fixed term was), and then go to court
* consequently many (most) landlord refuse to grant ASTs of less than 6 months

But there is no legal reason not to do so and if that's what you (and the tenant) want, go ahead.


You don't have to take a deposit (for any AST), but you'd be foolish not to!
You don't have to vet your applicant (for any AST), but you'd be foolish not to!
You DO have to comply with all usual rules:
* EPC
* 'how to let' leaflet
* immigration check
* gas report
* deposit protection (if you do take one)
etc

Is this an HMO? Obviously extra rules if it is.


See also
** Tenancies in Eng/Wales: Guides for landlords and tenants

JennyP

Thank you.
That's really useful. I think it's a no from me.

It doesn't count as an HMO in that particular borough - well, I don't need the license that they make HMOs get. Had a couple of conversations with the council about it.

diggingdude

Would a holiday let agreement work for the short term tenant situation? I am not overly familiar with them but one of the citizens I work with recently stayed somewhere with one.

Apologies if I am well wrong with this