Can you sign a tenancy agreement electronically in the UK?

The usual answer is yes

A tenancy of up to three years can normally be made without a deed, so the tenant and landlord can sign an ordinary assured shorthold tenancy agreement electronically. This is general information about England and Wales. The rules in Scotland, Northern Ireland and for different kinds of tenancy are not the same, so check the rules for your tenancy.

When it must be a deed

A lease of more than three years has to be made by deed. A deed needs a witness, and the Law Commission’s view is that the witness must be physically present with the person signing. If you are creating a long lease, speak to a solicitor about how to sign it. The guide to documents that can’t be signed electronically explains deeds.

Getting both sides to sign

1. Finish the agreement as a PDF and check the names, address, rent, dates and deposit.
2. Add a signature and date field for each tenant, and for the landlord or agent. Add a guarantor if there is one.
3. Send it for signing. Ask the tenants to sign first and the landlord second, or use signing order so each person is asked in turn.
4. When everyone has signed, keep the signed PDF and its activity trail together, and give every party a copy.

What matters besides the signature

Signing the agreement is only part of letting a property. Landlords also have separate legal duties, such as protecting a deposit and giving tenants certain documents and information. These do not depend on how the agreement is signed. Check the current rules on GOV.UK or with a letting professional.

Keep good records

• The signed PDF with its activity trail.
• The email addresses the agreement was sent to.
• The date each person signed.

With SignEdge, each signed PDF ends with an activity trail page, and you can check later that the file has not changed with the document checker.