Must a new contract be drawn up when new tenant takes over lease?

I need a quick answer please !!

Tenant quit 5 months into year's fixed contract. Suggested a new tenant. My friend met this proposed new tenant today at the office of the agent who put me in touch with first tenant. The idea was simply that my friend would meet him and report back to me whether he would be suitable or not.

Anyway, a NEW contract was put under his nose for 12 months and he paid over a month's deposit (and to get a fee for the agent, the second one in 6 months). None of this was with my agreement. I had told the agent that the new tenant would simply see out the remainder of the lease and then could have a new lease once it expired.

The agent tells me a new lease HAS TO SIGNED but I disagree and have now threatened him with a solicitor's letter because he is refusing to return the next tenant's cash deposit.

HELP !!!!

New tenant means new contract. Also means new registration with the PRTB (90€). You have to have a valid lease in place or it is not worth the paper it is written on.

This story is very confusing, why did you arrange the new tenant to meet at an agent's?

Firstly the tenant has done nothing wrong, so don't blame the tenant, secondly you now have a tenant it seems, that's good?

Not sure about what you mean by 6 months? You mean the tenants who has just signed a 12 month contract has to sign another one in 6 months?

Solicitors letters are very expensive (in comparision with a months deposit) and may yield nothing, how about the go down to the agent in person to get it sorted, and refuse to leave until he does. But the fact the tenant was an agent's office is not good.

Yes, a new tenant needs to be signed, but it should be a fixed term lease for just the remaining 7 months of the original lease if that is what you want. Your agent is an idiot if he insists that the new tenant has to sign up for a 12 month lease. Last May, I took over a lease from a couple who were moving out of their apt, but their lease was not up until September. I had to go out to the estate agent, bringing references etc with me and sign the new 4 month lease. Once it expired it was up to me and the landlord to decide if we wanted to renew the shorter lease.