The new online tool will allow landlords to create professional, legally-binding Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreements in a matter of minutes, then download and print the contract free of charge.
The latest product launch from TheHouseShop further builds upon the suite of services that are already on offer to the 20,000+ landlords it supports.
Landlords using the online marketplace can now access free property advertising, tenant referencing checks, online rental calculators, end of tenancy cleaning, CP12 Gas Certificates, EPCs, home improvement services, guaranteed rent collection, downloadable landlord guides and more.
Nick Marr, co-founder of TheHouseShop, explains: “The vast majority of the landlords we work with adopt a DIY approach to running their rental business and do almost all of the work themselves. The legal side of the process can often seem daunting, especially for accidental or “newbie” landlords, and creating a tenancy agreement that will guarantee the safety of their property and protect their interests is hugely important.
We discovered that a lot of our landlords were using old and out-of-date contract templates to draw up their tenancy agreements, or were struggling to find something that suited their needs. This meant that in some cases, landlords were making potentially risky amendments to the contracts themselves or using basic templates that didn’t actually cover everything they wanted to include.
Our new AST tool gives landlords the power to create a bespoke, watertight, legally-binding tenancy agreement themselves, without spending a single penny. The fact that a DIY landlord can now create a professional rental contract in a matter of minutes and know that they have covered their back from a legal perspective, means there is one less thing for them to worry about.”
Landlords using the new tenancy agreement tool are guided through the contract creation process whereby they fill in all the relevant details for the tenancy and tailor specific clauses to suit their needs. The resulting tenancy agreement is based on a contract created exclusively for TheHouseShop by established law firm, Shakespeare Martineau.
Jayne Gardner, partner at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, comments on the launch of the new tool and the importance of tenancy agreements in the private rental sector.
She said: “All too often we see landlords experiencing disputes with tenants that could have easily been prevented if the correct contracts had been in place from the outset. Many landlords, particularly those who are new to the business, often overlook the importance of a watertight tenancy agreement, and for many, this can be a costly mistake.
Having a system that can support landlords to gain easy access to robust and legally-binding tenancy agreements is a game changer. Not only does it make the process more efficient, but it recognises the need for ‘jargon free’, bespoke legal support.”
