The old types of agreement! Difference between Assured and Assured Shorthold Tenancy.

Assured Tenants

As assured tenancy is very different from an assured shorthold tenancy. An assured tenant has security of tenure which means that they have the right to remain in their home indefinitely should they wish. Most of these tenancies were created accidentally. For example perhaps a tenancy agreement was not drawn up when they moved into the property or perhaps the correct documents were not served on them when the tenancy was originally created.

Until 27 February 1997 in order to create an assured shorthold tenancy the landlord had to serve a special notice on the tenant called a "notice to quit", If this was not done for whatever reason the tenant will be able to claim the status of an assured tenant. The implications of this are very severe in that you will not be able to get vacant possession of you property.

It is also important to point out that you will not be abe to increase the rent annually as the rent will be set by the local rent officer from the rent office. In most cases you will be responsible for the upkeep of the outside of the property and your assured tenant will be responsible for the internal decoration

Selling An Assured Tenancy

Selling a property that is owned by an assured tenant doesn't need to be a complicated procedure provided you are selling to a company that is familiar with these types of tenancies. In this current climate they are pretty much un-mortgageable as banks and building societies will not consider the property as good security even though they are sold at a discount to there vacant value.

It is also worth noting that you are not required by law to provide a home information pack when selling a property with a sitting tenant.

Pig? Pig? Where?

I did a viewing at a property in Abingdon today which we have described as much like a Volvo from the nineties: boxy but big inside with loads of storage space.

It is a true maisonette with two floors and stairs inside to get up stairs to bed. It isn't on the ground floor, it starts on the first floor. As such it doesn't have a garden but it does have a large kind of roof terrace.

I was leaving this maisonette when I heard some snuffling and thought that I could hear a dog next door sniffing to see if I had a bone in my sock or something, but no!



It was a pig. Who on earth keeps a pig in a maisonette?