The government has revised instructions to the TSA to say that flexible tenancies should normally last a minimum of five years.
Under an updated draft direction on tenure social landlords will be required to set out any circumstances in which they will offer tenancies of less than five years in their tenancy policies.
The previous version of the draft direction stated that two-year tenancies, which are the shortest that will be permitted under the Localism Bill, should only be used in exceptional circumstances. It did not state what these circumstances would be, or that five-years would otherwise be the minimum.
In a letter accompanying the updated draft direction on tenancy, Mr Shapps says it has been amended to include the five-year reference ‘particularly in light of concerns expressed during debate on the tenure reform proposals in the Localism Bill at Lords committee’.
He adds: ‘If social landlords decide that there are exceptional circumstances where tenancies of less than five years may be appropriate, then they will be required to set out in their tenancy policy what those circumstances will be.’