Sole tenancy
A sole tenancy is held by one person. The tenant has sole rights to the tenancy only and must occupy the property as their sole and principal home.
Additional people cannot be added to an existing sole (or joint) tenancy. If you are a sole tenant and you wish to add your spouse or partner to your tenancy, you can make a Sole to Joint tenancy request and this, if approved, will require the existing tenancy to be ended and a new joint tenancy to be signed by you both.
You can find out more about sole to joint tenancies here and download the form here.
Joint tenancy
A joint tenancy means that two or more people have been included when the tenancy agreement has been signed and started although almost all joint tenancies are between two people, usually spouses or partners.
Additional people cannot be added to an existing sole (or joint) tenancy. Tenants cannot be individually removed from a joint tenancy except by a court Property Transfer Order as part of family or separation proceedings. If this happens, please contact us.
Each individual tenant is responsible for the whole tenancy. For example, if one joint tenant leaves or is not occupying the property, the remaining tenant still has rights to the tenancy and must also continue to pay the rent. An absent joint tenant can return at any time and claim their tenancy rights.
If a joint tenant no longer wishes to be responsible for the joint tenancy, a Joint to Sole tenancy request can be made and, if approved, will require the existing tenancy to be ended and a new sole tenancy to be signed by the remaining sole tenant.
You can find out more about joint to sole tenancies here and download the form here.