E-Signing a Tenancy Agreement or Employment Contract (UK)

Electronic signatures are generally valid for contracts and tenancy agreements under existing English law, building on the Electronic Communications Act 2000. The Law Commission's 2019 report on the electronic execution of documents confirmed this general position and gave practical guidance on how it applies to everyday contracts, including tenancy agreements and employment contracts.

Some property and legal documents need to be executed as a deed rather than a simple contract, and deeds carry a specific requirement: the signature must be made in the physical presence of a witness. The Law Commission's report concluded that this "presence" requirement means genuine, physical presence — signing electronically while a witness watches over a video call doesn't satisfy it. If your document needs to be executed as a deed, check whether it requires an in-person witnessed signature rather than assuming a standard e-signature is enough.

Wills have their own formality requirements, and whether they can be validly e-signed has been a more actively debated and shifting area — including a temporary pandemic-era easement that isn't the same as a settled, permanent rule. If you're dealing with a will, treat wet-ink signing as the safe default rather than relying on general e-signature validity.

For a standard assured shorthold tenancy agreement or an employment contract — documents that are ordinary contracts rather than deeds — electronic signatures are generally accepted and widely used by landlords, letting agents, and employers across the UK.

This is general information, not a legal opinion on your specific document. If you're unsure whether your particular agreement needs to be executed as a deed, or you're dealing with a will or another formality-heavy document, speak with a solicitor before relying on an electronic signature.