Tenancy agreement dates

mattdr11

Hello. We've been living in our current property over two years. Our landlord has finally come to us with a written tenancy agreement. The initial six month term stated on the agreement is 1st Jan 2020 to June 2020. If we sign and date the tenancy today (with today's date), will the 6 month term still be from the 1st of Jan, or will it be from today? 

Thanks in advance for any help. 
Matt.

theartfullodger

Out of interest how is the agreement described? As an AST or Assured Shorthold Tenancy please?

You'd be better off signing nothing (assuming landlord lives in another building).  As it stands I doubt your landlord could ever evict you using section 21 (the usual "for no reason at all" route to evictions.)

Thank landlord calmly & politely for his kind offer but decline to sign.  Unless you need it to claim benefits.

Wonder what else he's forgotten to document:. Tax declared, EPC, GSC, permission to rent property by mortgage lender, landlord insurance.

greatcrested

artful you've lost me - "AST or Assured Shorthold Tenancy ". How does this alter things...?

OP - If you sign this TA backdated to 1/1/20, then the fixed term will be from 1/1/20 - 30/6/20 (if it's 6 months).

Whether you choose to sign depends whether

* you want security till 30/6/20?

* you want security for longer? Change the dates from 10/4/20 - 9/10/20 (or till 9/4/20,or any other date you prefer!) and ask LL to agree and sign

* you are happy with the current, flexible, monthly periodic tenancy?

* is the rent the same?

As artful asks, did you originally receive:

Since 1/10/15, new tenants must receive the 'Prescribed Information':
* government leaflet "how to rent"
* EPC (min E rating)
* Gas Safety Certificate if there's gas
* Smoke detectors on each floor
* CO alarm if there's solid fuel heating.

* From 1/2/16 landlords must check tenants' immigration status.

* furniture - certified fire-resistant
* electrics & electrical appliances - safe.
* Security deposit - registered & 'Prescribed Information' provided within 30 days of receipt.

Freecall

With the sole exception of needing to claim benefits I can see no advantage whatsoever to the OP signing a new agreement.

The AST they have is as generous as possible with security and (in practical terms) a fixed rent.

Signing a new agreement can only be a step backwards from their current AST.

theartfullodger

greatcrested said:

artful you've lost me - "AST or Assured Shorthold Tenancy ". How does this alter things...?

I was trying to find out if it was described as an AST or perhaps landlord on fiddle having it as a "licence" or "lodger agreement".  IMHO it should be an AST if landlord lives elsewhere...

Cheers all!