What is a fixed term tenancy?

Fixed-term tenancies are no longer available for new lettings in England as of 1 May 2026, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

A fixed-term tenancy used to commit both tenant and landlord to a set period (commonly 6 or 12 months) before either side could easily end the agreement. This has been replaced entirely by periodic (rolling) tenancies, which have no fixed end date from the start.

Why this matters if you're comparing older content: a lot of existing guidance online still describes fixed-term tenancies as the norm - that's now out of date for England. If you're renting today, you're on a periodic tenancy regardless of what a landlord's paperwork might call it.

One practical upside: without a fixed term, tenants generally have more flexibility to leave when their circumstances change, rather than being locked in for months.