How much does a tenancy agreement cost in 2026?
Ask five landlords what a tenancy agreement costs and you will get five different answers, because "tenancy agreement" can mean five quite different things - a free download, a document drafted from scratch by a solicitor, a template on a subscription platform, or a pack built from your own answers. Since the Renters' Rights Act abolished Section 21 and fixed-term ASTs on 1 May 2026, the question has got more complicated, because a document written before that date is not simply out of date, it is legally obsolete for a new tenancy. This guide compares the real routes landlords in England use, with prices checked directly against providers.
The main options, compared
The table below sets out what landlords typically choose between, from doing it yourself for free to instructing a solicitor. Prices are published rates or ranges checked in August 2026, and can vary by firm and provider.
| Option | Typical cost | What you get | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solicitor drafting (bespoke) | Roughly £100-£450+, usually plus VAT, fixed fee at most firms | A document drafted or checked by a qualified solicitor, tailored to your tenancy | Wide range between firms - get a fixed quote first; slowest option to arrange |
| Landlord association membership (e.g. NRLA) | From £125/yr individual, £250/yr business | A library of template documents plus an advice line, training and other member perks | An ongoing annual cost - you are buying a year of membership, not one document |
| Legal document subscription (e.g. Rocket Lawyer-style platforms) | Roughly £17.49-£34.99/mo depending on billing | Generic template documents you complete yourself, plus optional lawyer review or Q&A | Ongoing subscription for occasional use; templates are generic, not lettings-specific |
| Free generic templates online | £0 | A basic starting document, often written for an earlier version of tenancy law | Pre-May-2026 AST wording is now legally obsolete; free templates are rarely updated |
| Personalised one-off document pack (e.g. TenancyTemplates) | See current price | A document built from your own answers, aimed at post-RRA compliance, no membership | Not a substitute for legal advice on complex or contested situations |
Two things stand out. Free is not the same as no cost - a template that misses a required term can cost far more to fix later than any paid option above. And memberships and subscriptions are priced for ongoing access, which suits landlords with several properties, but is an expensive way to get one agreement sorted quickly.
Free generic templates: the real risk in 2026
A free tenancy agreement template costs nothing to download, which is exactly why so many landlords start there. The problem is what happened on 1 May 2026: every assured shorthold tenancy with a fixed term stopped existing in law, and new tenancies became periodic from day one - see our guide to periodic tenancies and fixed terms. A template written for the old system still refers to fixed terms, Section 21 and rent-review clauses that no longer apply, and it is unlikely to contain the written statement of terms landlords must now give tenants. Free templates are rarely maintained once they have done their job of bringing in traffic, so check the date it was last reviewed before relying on one.
Solicitor drafting: when it earns its fee
Solicitor fees for drafting a residential tenancy agreement vary widely between firms. Some quote fixed fees as low as £100 for a straightforward agreement, while others charge £450 plus VAT for a fully bespoke document with an accompanying landlord's report. The gap largely reflects how bespoke the work is versus adapted from the firm's own template, so ask what the fee includes and whether it reflects current written statement of terms rules. A solicitor tends to earn the higher end on anything unusual - company lets, multiple tenants, or a tenancy you expect to be contested.
Landlord association membership
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) is the largest UK landlord body, charging £125 a year for individual landlord membership, or £250 a year for business membership covering up to four people. Membership includes access to over 130 documents and guides plus a telephone advice line - good value if you manage several tenancies, but a less efficient way to pay for a single agreement, since you are buying twelve months of access.
Legal document subscription services
Generic legal document platforms such as Rocket Lawyer sell access on a subscription, not per document. As of August 2026, Rocket Lawyer's UK membership is £34.99 a month, or £17.49 a month billed annually (£209.88 a year), including unlimited documents, e-signing and some lawyer access. These platforms cover many types of legal document rather than specialising in lettings, so check the tenancy template covers what a written statement of terms must contain.
Personalised one-off document packs
The remaining option is a one-off document pack built from your own answers, rather than a subscription or a solicitor's hourly time. This is the category TenancyTemplates sits in: no membership, no ongoing fee, just the documents for the tenancy in front of you, prepared with post-RRA compliance in mind and delivered instantly. It suits landlords who want something more tailored than a free download but do not need a full solicitor engagement or a year of membership. Our guide to the tenancy agreement template sets out what a compliant 2026 agreement should contain.
Ready to put this into practice?
Our Tenancy Agreement Pack is built for post-RRA compliance, prepared from your own answers and delivered instantly as PDF and Word. One-off, no membership.
See our current pack prices →Frequently asked questions
How much does a tenancy agreement cost in 2026? It depends on the route. A free template costs nothing but carries compliance risk. Solicitor drafting typically ranges from around £100 to £450 plus VAT. Association membership and subscription services charge an ongoing fee, not a per-document price - see the comparison above.
Is a free tenancy agreement template legally safe to use in 2026? Treat it with caution. Templates written before 1 May 2026 refer to fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies and Section 21, which no longer apply. Free templates are rarely updated for legislative change, so check when it was last reviewed and whether it covers the written statement of terms.
Is NRLA membership worth it just for the tenancy agreement template? Usually not on its own. It costs £125 a year for individual landlords and includes over 130 documents plus an advice line, so it suits landlords who will use the wider membership, not just buy one document.
Do legal subscription platforms like Rocket Lawyer produce compliant tenancy agreements? They can, but check when the specific template was last updated. These platforms cover many types of legal document rather than specialising in English lettings, so the template needs to reflect the Renters' Rights Act changes from 1 May 2026.
This guide is general information for landlords in England, not legal advice for your circumstances. Prices are checked at the time of writing and can change - verify current figures with each provider.