Quick answer
A joint tenancy agreement is one assured periodic tenancy signed by two or more tenants. Each joint tenant is 'jointly and severally liable', which means the landlord can ask any of them for the whole rent if one does not pay. Under the general law, valid notice from one joint tenant can end the tenancy for all of them, so sharers should agree in advance how they will handle someone leaving.
- One agreement, two or more tenants, all named.
- Each tenant can be liable for the full rent, not just their share.
- One tenant's valid notice can end the tenancy for everyone.
- Right to rent checks apply to every adult living there.
Joint tenancy vs individual room tenancies
| Joint tenancy | Individual tenancies (room by room) | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of agreements | One, all tenants named | One per tenant |
| Rent | Total rent, shared liability | Each pays their own room rent |
| If one person leaves | Can end the tenancy for all | Only their own tenancy ends |
| Deposit | Usually one deposit for the property | Separate deposit per tenant |
| Common use | Couples, friends, family | HMOs, house shares with strangers |
Both are usually assured periodic tenancies where the landlord does not live in the property. If the landlord lives there and shares facilities, the occupiers are likely to be lodgers instead. See the lodger agreement guide.
Rent and joint and several liability
Most joint tenancy agreements say the tenants are 'jointly and severally liable'. In plain English, the landlord is owed the full rent and can recover all of it from any one tenant, or from all of them together. It is then up to the tenants to sort out shares between themselves.
This also applies to damage and unpaid bills that the agreement makes the tenants responsible for. Sharers should keep their own written record of who pays what. Our guide to shared household tenancy admin has a simple template.
When one joint tenant wants to leave
Under the general law on periodic tenancies, a valid notice to quit from one joint tenant usually ends the tenancy for everyone. Because the 2026 rules allow tenants to give 2 months' notice at any time, this matters more than ever.
- Talk first. The leaving tenant should tell housemates and the landlord as early as possible.
- Agree a plan. Options include the remaining tenants staying on a new agreement, a replacement sharer joining, or everyone leaving.
- Put it in writing. Any new agreement or change of tenants should be recorded and signed.
- Sort the deposit. Agree how the deposit will be split or transferred, and update the protection scheme.
If you are a remaining tenant and worried about losing your home because a sharer is leaving, get advice early from Shelter or Citizens Advice.
Deposits on a joint tenancy
A joint tenancy usually has one deposit for the whole property, protected in a government scheme within 30 days. At the end, the deposit is normally returned according to the scheme's process, which may need agreement from all tenants. Record at the start who paid what, so it can be divided fairly later. Read organising tenancy deposit documents.
What a joint tenancy agreement should include
- The full names of every tenant.
- The total rent and payment arrangements.
- A clear statement of joint and several liability.
- The deposit amount and protection scheme.
- Which rooms and shared areas are included.
- How notice is given and to which address.
- All the written information required for an assured periodic tenancy.
Our builder lets you add multiple tenants to one agreement.
Bills and council tax for joint tenants
Unless bills are included in the rent, joint tenants usually set up utilities and broadband in one or more of their names. Council tax is normally the responsibility of the adults living in the property, and joint tenants are usually jointly responsible. Full-time students may be exempt. Agree in writing who pays which bill and how shortfalls will be handled.
Example: when one sharer leaves
Three friends rent a house on a joint tenancy at £1,800 a month. One gets a job in another city and wants to leave. If she simply gives 2 months' notice to the landlord, that notice could end the tenancy for all three.
Instead, the three talk to the landlord early. They find a replacement friend, the landlord carries out a right to rent check and references, and a new joint tenancy is signed with the two remaining tenants and the new sharer. The deposit is transferred in the scheme with everyone's agreement, and the leaving tenant is repaid her share by the new sharer. Nobody loses their home, and the landlord has no empty period.
Couples and joint tenancies
When a couple rents together, both are usually named as joint tenants. If the relationship ends, one partner leaving with notice can end the tenancy for both. The person staying should speak to the landlord quickly about a new agreement in their sole name. If there is domestic abuse, specialist advice and protections are available through the council and organisations such as Shelter.
Common questions
Can one tenant end a joint tenancy?
Generally yes. A valid notice from one joint tenant on a periodic tenancy usually ends it for all. Sharers should plan for this and talk to the landlord early.
Am I responsible if my housemate does not pay rent?
On a joint tenancy with joint and several liability, the landlord can ask any tenant for the full rent, including a missing share.
Can a joint tenant be removed from the agreement?
Only by agreement between the landlord and all tenants, usually by creating a new tenancy with the remaining or replacement tenants.
How many people can be on a joint tenancy?
There is no fixed number, but properties let to 3 or more people from more than one household may be HMOs that need a licence.
Do all joint tenants have to sign the agreement?
Yes. Each adult who is a joint tenant should be named and sign, and each must have a right to rent check.
Official sources
We check these pages against official GOV.UK guidance. This page is general information for England, not legal advice for your situation.
Create a joint tenancy agreement
Add every tenant to one assured periodic tenancy agreement for England. Preview free, download for £49.
Create an agreement