Company Let
Quick answer
A tenancy where the tenant is a limited company rather than an individual, often so the company can house an employee. Because the tenant is not an individual occupying as their only or principal home, a company let is not an assured tenancy and falls outside the Renters’ Rights Act — it is governed by the contract and common law instead.
At a glance
- Tenant
- A company, not an individual
- Status
- Not an assured tenancy (outside the RRA)
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Open full guideWhy Company Let matters for landlords
Company lets give landlords more contractual freedom because the statutory tenant protections and Section 8 grounds do not apply, and possession is a matter of the agreement and common law. That flexibility comes with different risks: you are relying on the company’s covenant and any guarantee, and you should verify the company is genuine and creditworthy. Because the regime is different, the tenancy agreement itself — not statute — does the heavy lifting, so it must be drafted with care.
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Official sources
LetCompliance editorial reviews this entry every quarter against the sources above. Always confirm specific duties with a qualified solicitor or your local council.
Related terms
Mortgage Interest Tax Credit (Section 24)
The 20% basic-rate tax credit that replaced full mortgage interest deduction for individual UK landlords under section 24 of the Finance (No.2) Act 2015. From 6 April 2020, finance costs (mortgage interest, loan interest, mortgage broker fees) are no longer deductible from rental profits; instead HMRC gives a tax reducer at the basic rate, capped at the lower of finance costs, property profits or adjusted total income after personal allowance. Higher- and additional-rate taxpayers are materially worse off than pre-2017; Limited Company landlords are unaffected because Ltd interest remains a fully deductible business expense.
Notice to Quit
A common-law notice ending a contractual periodic tenancy (rather than a statutorily protected one). For most modern residential lets governed by the Housing Act 1988 the relevant notices are Section 21 (until 1 May 2026) and Section 8 (Form 3A) under the assured shorthold / assured periodic tenancy regime, not a common-law Notice to Quit. The phrase is still used colloquially and remains relevant for specific edge cases: company lets, resident landlords, holiday lets and tenancies excluded from the Housing Act 1988 by Schedule 1.
SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle / Limited Company Landlord)
A limited company set up solely to hold buy-to-let property, used by landlords to sidestep the Section 24 mortgage-interest restriction — a company deducts finance costs in full, then pays Corporation Tax on the profit. New purchases can be made directly by the company; moving existing personal properties in is a sale to the company, triggering SDLT and potentially CGT. SIC code 68209 is the usual "letting of own property" classification.
Break Clause
A clause in a fixed-term tenancy that allows landlord or tenant to end the agreement early. With fixed-term ASTs abolished from 1 May 2026 for most residential tenancies, break clauses are rarely relevant, a tenant can instead end a periodic tenancy with two months' notice.
Joint Tenancy
A tenancy where two or more tenants are jointly and severally liable for the rent and obligations. If one tenant leaves, the remaining tenants are liable for the full rent. A notice served by one joint tenant can end the tenancy for all.
Landlord Database (Private Rented Sector Database)
A national digital register of private landlords and rented properties in England, established under the Renters Rights Act 2025. Every landlord must register and provide property details and proof of compliance (gas, electrical, deposit protection, EPC) before letting. Operated by central government, accessible to local councils and tenants. Failure to register is an offence with civil penalty up to £7,000 per breach, and a court can refuse a possession order under Section 8 if the property or landlord is not registered.