New tenants want to move in next week. Their existing landlord wants reference confirmation today. You need a signed AST, a deposit confirmation, and a how-to-rent guide in their inbox by 5pm.
Tenancy paperwork is high-volume, low-margin. The agencies that grow are the ones who've turned it into a thirty-minute task.
Start with a maintained template
Your AST template should be a polished PDF you customise, not a Word doc you rebuild every time. Build it once with the agency's standard clauses, deposit terms, and break clauses. Customise only the parties, property address, dates, and rent. Convert your Word master once and lock the formatting.
Schedules and attachments
A complete AST includes the how-to-rent guide, EPC, gas safety certificate (if applicable), and any inventory. Combine these into a single execution pack with merge PDF. The tenant signs the AST itself; the schedules are incorporated by reference. One file is easier for the tenant to store than five.
Send for signature
Use sign PDF to drop signature fields for tenant(s), landlord, and witnesses if required. Send the link to all parties; they sign in any order from their phones. For joint tenancies, every tenant signs separately — don't let one tenant sign on behalf of others, even informally.
After execution
Save the signed AST and audit certificate to the property's folder. Send a copy to the tenant for their records. Lodge the deposit within 30 days under the relevant scheme. The audit trail is your evidence of the signing date if any dispute arises about deposit protection timelines.
FAQ
Can an AST be e-signed in the UK?
Yes — ASTs are commercial contracts under English law and electronic signatures are fully valid. The Law Commission confirmed this in 2019.
Does an AST need to be witnessed?
No — only deeds require witnessing. An AST is a simple contract and can be signed without witnesses.
What if the tenant doesn't have email?
Sign together on a tablet using the same sign PDF flow. They sign with finger or stylus on the same device.
How long should the signed AST be retained?
At least six years from the end of the tenancy, longer if disputes are likely. Store the signed PDF and audit certificate together.
Same-day tenancy execution is normal in 2026. Use a clean template, attach schedules, send for signature — start in Flint.