What is Company let?
Last verified 31 October 2026
A company let is a tenancy where the tenant is a company rather than an individual, often so that the company can house an employee. Under section 1 of the Housing Act 1988, a tenancy of a home in England is only an assured tenancy while the tenant is an individual.
Why it matters to landlords
That means a company let is not an assured tenancy under that section, so the assured tenancy rules in the Act do not apply in the usual way. Government guidance on fitness for human habitation also lists tenants that are not individuals, such as local authorities, housing associations and educational institutions, as an exception to the duty to remedy. Do not assume the same duties apply as for a tenancy to a person, and do not assume the opposite either.
Write the agreement carefully because the usual protections and notice routes differ. Name the company, the occupier and who pays rent and bills, and take advice on the document. A tenancy to joint tenants needs every tenant to be an individual to be assured. Check whether the occupier staying is a lodger or tenant, and whether HMO rules apply. The position in Wales and Scotland is different.
Example
Lena lets a one-bedroom flat in Slough to Acme Staffing Ltd on 1 June 2027 for its employee Marek, rent paid by the company. Because the tenant is a company, the lettings follow the contract she wrote, and she uses a solicitor's template and names Marek as the permitted occupier.