OFT issues guidance on unfair terms in tenancy contract

New guidelines on unfair contract terms in tenancy agreements have been issued by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

The guidance, which updates earlier guidelines to reflect enforcement action taken by the OFT, court judgments and recent experience in dealing with tenancy contract complaints, outlines how the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 apply to tenancy contracts.

According to the OFT, more than 200 complaints are made each year in respect of unfair terms in standard tenancy contracts, including financial penalties, exclusions of the landlord's liability for repairs, and unfair termination and eviction clauses. The guidance provides examples of terms that are considered to be unfair, and possible ways of revising them.

The OFT guidance together with a consumer leaflet Unfair tenancy terms don't get caught out, is available on the OFT website.