Unfurnished Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement (AST)

Overview

An assured shorthold tenancy (AST) is the standard form of residential letting in England under the Housing Act 1988 (as amended, notably by the Housing Act 1996 and the Deregulation Act 2015). This template covers an UNFURNISHED letting — the property is let with, at most, fitted appliances such as a cooker or white goods, but without the general furniture typically found in a furnished letting. Honest framing — this is not a legally distinct tenancy type: it is worth being explicit here, because it is a common misconception. England does NOT distinguish 'furnished' and 'unfurnished' lettings as separate legal categories the way some other jurisdictions do (for example, France applies materially different minimum terms, notice periods and deposit caps to furnished versus unfurnished lettings). In England, whether a letting is furnished or unfurnished is a commercial and practical matter only — it affects the achievable rent, the target tenant, and what (if anything) needs listing on an inventory — but it makes NO difference to the statutory notice periods, deposit cap, or grounds for possession. Both furnished and unfurnished lettings are governed by exactly the same Housing Act 1988 assured shorthold tenancy framework. This template exists as a parallel to the furnished version purely so an unfurnished landlord has a document without an inventory-heavy furnishings clause — not because the underlying law differs. Deposit cap and protection: under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, the deposit is capped at five weeks' rent where the annual rent is below £50,000 (six weeks' rent above that threshold) — the same cap as for a furnished letting. The deposit must be protected in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme (TDS, DPS or mydeposits) within 30 days of receipt, with the prescribed information served on the tenant within the same period. Prescribed information before a valid section 21 notice: as with a furnished letting, since the Deregulation Act 2015 a landlord cannot serve a valid 'no fault' section 21 notice unless the tenant was given a copy of the current Energy Performance Certificate, a valid Gas Safety Certificate (where gas appliances are present), and the government's 'How to Rent' guide. Fitted appliances and fixtures: although the letting is unfurnished, the property will typically still include fitted kitchen units, and often a cooker or other white goods provided by the landlord. Any such items should still be recorded on a short schedule of condition, both to protect the landlord's ability to claim for damage and to avoid disputes over what was actually provided. Ending the tenancy: as with any AST, a landlord can seek possession under section 21 (no-fault) or section 8 (grounds-based). The Renters' Rights Bill, progressing through Parliament, proposes to abolish section 21 notices and the assured shorthold tenancy category itself, moving to a single system of periodic tenancies — this applies equally to furnished and unfurnished lettings, and the current state of the law should be checked before relying on this template. When to use: for a new residential letting of unfurnished self-contained accommodation to an individual tenant, as their only or main home, at market rent, where the landlord does not live in the property. Common pitfalls: assuming shorter notice or a different deposit cap applies because the letting is unfurnished (it does not); missing the deposit protection deadline; and failing to serve the prescribed EPC/gas certificate/How to Rent documents before relying on section 21. This template is a drafting aid only and must be adapted to the specific letting and reviewed against the current law.