Tenancy Type Checker

A Tenancy Type Checker helps identify the legal status behind a renting arrangement. It looks at the country, landlord type, start date, main home, resident landlord, room sharing, exclusive possession and special exclusions.

Pro tip: keep this with the rest of your tenancy paperwork and your notes on assured shorthold tenancy converted — tenancy types disputes are decided on dates and documents, not on who sounds more reasonable.

The checker is UK-aware but detailed for England after the 1 May 2026 private renting reforms. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use different legal frameworks, so the tool gives region-specific warnings rather than treating all renters the same.

Pro tip: if you searched “tenancy type checker UK” to get here, this is the part that matters: note the date, who said it and what was actually agreed.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government publishes the main England private rented sector reform guidance. Court possession processes are handled through the County Court and HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

Pro tip: save a dated copy of anything about social housing tenancy before you reply, so your tenancy types timeline is complete if it is ever challenged.

It is a rolling tenancy, usually weekly or monthly, with stronger protection than a lodger or basic-protection occupier. In England private renting after 1 May 2026, most private assured tenants are in this route.

Pro tip: pair this with a check on licence to occupy — the two questions almost always come up together in tenancy types cases.

Most England private assured shorthold tenancies automatically became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026. The tenancy did not end, but fixed end dates and new Section 21 no-fault eviction routes no longer operate in the same way.

Pro tip: keep the paperwork covering statutory rights in the same file as your tenancy agreement so nothing has to be reconstructed later.

Yes. A document might say “licence”, “AST”, “lodger agreement” or “fixed term”, but the legal status depends on the facts. Courts and advisers look at occupation, sharing, control, landlord residence, start date and exclusions.

Pro tip: people often search “tenancy type checker UK” at this point; the safest next step is to confirm licence to occupy in writing before any deadline passes.

An excluded occupier is often a lodger who lives in the landlord’s home and shares living accommodation with the landlord or the landlord’s family. This status usually has fewer eviction protections and may only require reasonable notice.

Pro tip: note the exact date this happened. Under the current England rules, tenancy types outcomes often turn on timing rather than on the wording used.

An occupier with basic protection has fewer rights than an assured tenant but may still require a court order before eviction. It can apply to some non-sharing lodgers, student accommodation or licence-style arrangements.

Pro tip: if anything here is disputed, ask for it in writing and keep the reply — written confirmation about assured shorthold tenancy converted is worth far more than a phone call.

Council tenants may be secure, introductory, flexible, demoted or temporary accommodation occupiers depending on the facts. The agreement, start date, homelessness status and any introductory or flexible tenancy notice need checking.

Pro tip: check what tenancy type do I have at the same time; getting both right first time avoids having to redo the whole tenancy types process.

Housing association tenants can be assured, starter, secure, assured shorthold transitional or other special categories. The provider type, tenancy start date, agreement and any probationary/starter terms are important.

Pro tip: confirm the position on HMO room let against the official source linked on this page rather than relying on a letting agent’s summary.

Students in university halls or some accredited student accommodation may have basic protection or a licence-type route. Students renting privately from a normal private landlord may still be assured tenants if no student-code exclusion applies.

Pro tip: searches like “am I a lodger or a tenant” usually hide a deadline. Diary the date now and keep your evidence of company let together.

Supported accommodation can involve tenancy or licence status depending on support, supervision, exclusion rules, provider type and occupation facts. It is a high-risk area for assumptions, so keep documents and get advice before leaving or refusing notice.

Pro tip: if the position on written agreement is unclear, write down what you were told, who told you and when — that record is often decisive.

Tied accommodation can be a service occupancy, service tenancy, assured tenancy or other arrangement. The job link, who owns the property, whether occupation is essential for the job and what happens when employment ends all matter.

Pro tip: screenshot the advert, the message thread and any reference number relating to social housing tenancy; reconstructing it months later is much harder.

Most new Scotland private tenancies from 1 December 2017 are private residential tenancies. Older short assured, assured and regulated tenancies can still exist, so the start date and documents should be checked.

Pro tip: if you are comparing this with lodger or tenant, read both before you act — the practical steps are not always the same.

Wales uses occupation contracts under the Renting Homes framework. A renter may be a contract-holder under a standard or secure occupation contract, not an England-style assured periodic tenant.

Pro tip: put a one-line note in your evidence log each time tenancy types comes up; a short dated entry beats a long recollection.

Northern Ireland private tenants have a separate legal framework with Tenancy Information Notices, notice-to-quit rules and rent-increase rules. England AST/APT labels should not be assumed there.

Pro tip: before you rely on this, check that it applies to your nation of the UK — tenancy types rules differ outside England.

No. It is an issue-spotting and drafting tool only. It does not decide your status, represent you, file court papers or replace advice from a qualified housing adviser or solicitor.

Pro tip: keep this with the rest of your tenancy paperwork and your notes on assured shorthold tenancy converted — tenancy types disputes are decided on dates and documents, not on who sounds more reasonable.

The Tenancy Type Checker is a free, browser-based tool that helps you work through identifying a tenancy type without paying for an initial consultation. It is built for renters, landlords, letting agents and advisers who need a fast, plain-English answer on what tenancy type do I have and related questions such as assured periodic tenancy. The Tenancy Type Checker works through the same points an adviser would raise about assured shorthold tenancy converted and licence to occupy, then explains what your answer means and which official source or next step to use.

Pro tip: run the Tenancy Type Checker before you sign, pay or reply to anything, and save the result with your notes on exclusive possession and resident landlord.

The Tenancy Type Checker works in short, ordered steps. It first asks where the property is and what kind of tenancy is involved, because resident landlord changes the answer. It then asks about licence to occupy, company let and the key dates, which is where most assured periodic tenancy problems actually begin. Finally the Tenancy Type Checker returns an issue-spotting summary: what looks fine, what looks risky, what is probably not allowed, and which official source or related tool to open next.

Pro tip: have your tenancy agreement, dates and written messages to hand before you start so the Tenancy Type Checker result reflects your real paperwork rather than your memory.

Yes. The Tenancy Type Checker is completely free, with no account, no sign-up and no payment. Everything you type into the Tenancy Type Checker stays in your browser: it is not sent to a server, not saved to a database and not shared with a landlord, letting agent or advertiser. That means you can safely test more than one scenario for lodger or tenant, company let or social housing tenancy without leaving a record anywhere.

Pro tip: because nothing is stored, copy or screenshot your Tenancy Type Checker result before you close the tab if you want it for your evidence file.

The Tenancy Type Checker is reviewed against the rules in force and updated whenever the underlying law or official guidance changes. The current version reflects the private renting framework that applies in England after 1 May 2026, including student accommodation PBSA, holiday let and written agreement. Changes to the Tenancy Type Checker are checked against primary sources such as legislation and GOV.UK guidance rather than secondary commentary, and the review date is shown at the top of this page.

Pro tip: if your situation started before the current rules, note the exact dates — the Tenancy Type Checker treats older and newer tenancy types situations differently.

The Tenancy Type Checker is built around the questions people actually type into search, including “check tenancy type 2026”, “what type of tenancy do I have”, “tenancy type checker UK” and “am I a lodger or a tenant”. Behind those different wordings the underlying issue is usually the same: identifying a tenancy type. The Tenancy Type Checker also covers the closely related areas — assured shorthold tenancy converted, licence to occupy and company let — so you do not need to run several separate searches to get one usable answer about what tenancy type do I have.

Pro tip: if your exact wording is not covered, search this site for assured periodic tenancy or lodger or tenant and open the linked guide next to your Tenancy Type Checker result.

No. The Tenancy Type Checker is an issue-spotting tool, not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for a qualified adviser. It tells you what usually applies to identifying a tenancy type, which documents matter and which written agreement or statutory rights question to ask next, but it cannot read your full file, argue your case or represent you. If you face a court date, a tribunal deadline, homelessness risk or a serious safety issue, get advice from Shelter, Citizens Advice, a housing solicitor or your local council.

Pro tip: take your Tenancy Type Checker result and your evidence log to the adviser; a clear timeline covering licence to occupy makes a first appointment far more useful.