Renewing rental lease agreement

[OhBling]

We live in a rented house and the lease expires at the end of this month. Back in early February the agent rang to ask if we still wanted the house for the following year. I thought it was a bit early, but said yes. They then sent me the lease, which I dutifully printed out and have with me, but which I haven't signed as I didn't feel I needed to sign it months ahead of time. I am planning to sign it and return it this week as that seems reasonable to me (actually, I meant to do it last week but got busy). But now they're hounding me and apparently the "landlord is chasing" the contract?

Considering it takes six months to get a basic thing fixed, I'm finding it hard to work up the enthusiasm to be helpful.

"Helpful" to whom? Do you want to be out on yer arse at the end of the month?

Sorry if that sounded rude. I'm in Scotland and my lease is now month to month (initial six months, then I can give one month notice, landlord has to give two [hence the early Feb contact by your landlord]- I think it's the same in England and Wales? - and I've been here over three years), but if you want to stay on I think you'd better sign the lease and get it back to them asap, otherwise your landlords will be entitled to assume you don't want to renew.