Background

The Housing Act 1988 as amended by The Housing Act 1996 brought the Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) into existence.

The greatest difference was that it allowed landlords an absolute right to reposses their property at the end of the term of the tenancy - something that was not previously possible under the Rents Act.

This right to repossession in turn gave the mortgage lenders the confidence to offer mortgages secured on rental properties, and so buy-to-let was born.

Now, most tenancies are ASTs and this is the default legal position in most instance even in the absence of a formal tenancy agreement