Statute: Housing Act 1988
Applies to: england,wales
Notice periods: [object Object]
An Assured Tenancy under the Housing Act 1988 is the longer-lived cousin of the Assured Shorthold Tenancy. Before 1997, landlords had to opt in to the AST regime by serving a pre-tenancy notice; any assured tenancy without that notice was a full Assured Tenancy. Since the Housing Act 1996 flipped the presumption, most private tenancies granted are ASTs by default and full Assured Tenancies have become uncommon in the private sector, though many housing associations still grant them.
Security of tenure
The defining feature of an Assured Tenancy is stronger security. The landlord cannot end it with a no-fault Section 21 notice. Possession requires a Section 8 ground, and some of those grounds are discretionary (meaning the court can refuse to order possession even if the ground is proved). That protection made Assured Tenancies a favoured choice for housing associations offering long-term homes.
Rent
Rent on an Assured Tenancy can be varied by agreement or by a Section 13 notice, which the tenant can challenge at the First-tier Tribunal. The tribunal decides what a fair market rent would be for the property.
How the Renters' Rights Act 2025 interacts
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 converts all existing assured tenancies, including Assured Shorthold Tenancies, into the new periodic framework. The historical distinction between assured and assured shorthold is effectively closed for new grants: tenants get periodic security from day one, Section 21 is abolished, and the Section 8 grounds are expanded.
When you might still have an Assured Tenancy
If you signed a tenancy before February 1997 with no AST opt-in notice, or your landlord is a housing association offering a permanent assured tenancy, you likely have one. Ask your landlord or check the terms of your tenancy agreement. The notice you receive if possession is sought will reference the statute and ground.