Do tenancy agreements need to be witnessed?
In England and Wales, strictly speaking, there is no need to have signatures witnessed if the tenancy agreement is for a term of less than three years. However, it may be a good idea to have any guarantor’s signature witnessed, particularly if they do not sign in front of you. The witness can be the same person for all three signatures on the agreement. In Scotland, it’s recommended that the tenancy is witnessed, as it then becomes self-proving. • Download a tenancy agreement for England and Wales. • Download a tenancy agreement for Scotland.
In England and Wales, strictly speaking, there is no need to have signatures witnessed if the tenancy agreement is for a term of less than three years. However, it may be a good idea to have any guarantor’s signature witnessed, particularly if they do not sign in front of you. The witness can be the same person for all three signatures on the agreement. In Scotland, it’s recommended that the tenancy is witnessed, as it then becomes self-proving.
