The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished the Assured Shorthold Tenancy as a new-tenancy vehicle from 1 May 2026. Every new letting in England must now be a periodic tenancy, specifically a Periodic Assured Tenancy (also called an Assured Periodic Tenancy, or APT). This guide explains what that means in practice.
Fixed-term vs. periodic: the key difference
| Feature | Fixed-term AST (pre-May 2026) | Periodic Assured Tenancy (from May 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Set end date (e.g. 12 months) | No fixed end, runs indefinitely |
| Tenant notice to leave | Cannot leave before end date without break clause | 2 months' written notice at any time |
| Landlord possession | Section 21 at fixed term end, or Section 8 for breach | Section 8 citing a statutory ground only |
| Rent increases | Contractual review clause could apply | Section 13 + Form 4A only, once per 12 months |
| New tenancy from | Unlawful to create from 1 May 2026 | Required for all new lettings from 1 May 2026 |
What happened to existing ASTs on 1 May 2026?
Every Assured Shorthold Tenancy in force on 1 May 2026, whether a fixed-term AST still in its initial period, a fixed-term AST that had rolled onto a statutory periodic, or a contractual periodic AST, automatically converted to a Periodic Assured Tenancy by operation of law. No action by landlord or tenant was required. Existing terms (rent, payment date, obligations) survive; only the fixed-term element and contractual rent-review clauses fall away.
How does a periodic tenancy work in practice?
- No end date: The tenancy runs month-to-month (for monthly-rent tenancies) until either the landlord or tenant ends it. There is no automatic expiry.
- Tenant can leave on 2 months' notice: The tenant can serve written notice to leave at any time. The notice period is 2 months regardless of how long the tenancy has been running.
- Landlord can only end it via Section 8: You must serve a Section 8 notice on Form 3A citing a statutory ground and wait for the notice period to expire before applying to court.
- Rent increases via Section 13 only: One increase per rolling 12-month period. Serve Form 4A with minimum 2 months' notice. The tenant can refer the increase to the First-tier Tribunal.
- Pet requests must be considered: Tenants can make written pet requests at any time. You must respond in writing within 42 days.
The Written Statement of Terms
Every Periodic Assured Tenancy must include or be accompanied by a Written Statement of Terms that meets the prescribed requirements under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. This is built into the LetSafe Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement template. If your existing tenancy agreement pre-dates 1 May 2026, you should serve a Revised Written Statement of Terms on each tenant to confirm the converted terms.
Can a tenant refuse to convert to a periodic tenancy?
No. The conversion of existing ASTs to Periodic Assured Tenancies is automatic by statute. Neither landlord nor tenant can opt out. The conversion happened at midnight on 30 April / 1 May 2026 regardless of what the tenancy agreement says.
What documents do landlords need now?
- New lettings from 1 May 2026: Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement (LS-E-001), drafted for the new regime, includes the Written Statement of Terms
- Existing tenancies (converted from AST): Renters' Rights Act Transition Pack (LS-E-130), includes tenant notification letter, Revised Written Statement of Terms, and Information Sheet serving pack
- Possession: Section 8 Notice Pack (LS-E-010), Form 3A pre-formatted for all 18 grounds
- Rent increases: Section 13 Rent Increase Pack (LS-E-011), Form 4A included
The LetSafe PAT Agreement is drafted for the post-1 May 2026 regime. Includes the prescribed Written Statement of Terms, Section 13 rent-review clause, pet-request clause, and deposit acknowledgement block. Editable DOCX + typeset PDF.