Notice to quit and tenancy notice periods in England, 2026
By TenancyDesk · Sources checked
Since 1 May 2026 a private tenant in England ends an assured periodic tenancy by giving a written notice to quit of up to 2 months: 2 months unless a shorter period is agreed. A landlord must instead serve a section 8 notice on Form 3A, with between no notice and 4 months depending on the ground.
- Tenant’s notice
- 2 months, unless a shorter period is agreed in writing
- Most a landlord can ask a tenant for
- 2 months
- How a tenant gives notice
- In writing: letter, email or text
- Landlord’s notice
- None to 4 months, by section 8 ground
- Landlord selling or moving in
- 4 months, not in the first 12 months
- Landlord’s notice lasts
- 12 months from service
What is a notice to quit?
A notice to quit is a written notice that ends a periodic tenancy, one that rolls from week to week or month to month. For private renting in England it is now the tenant’s tool. Since 1 May 2026 a tenant with an assured periodic tenancy ends it by giving notice to quit, and the law sets the notice at two months unless a shorter period is agreed in writing.
A landlord cannot end an assured periodic tenancy with a notice to quit. GOV.UK’s enforcement guidance for landlords lists trying to do so among the breaches a council can fine up to £7,000. A landlord needs a legal ground and a section 8 notice. The no fault notice has also gone: see section 21 abolished.
This guide covers England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different notice rules. If you are not sure what kind of tenancy you have, start with assured periodic tenancies explained.
Sources: Legislation: Protection from Eviction Act 1977, section 5 · GOV.UK: ending a tenancy, guidance for landlords and letting agents
How much notice do I need to give my landlord?
Up to 2 months. GOV.UK says the tenancy agreement should state how much notice a tenant must give, and that the maximum a landlord can ask for is 2 months. If the agreement says nothing, the tenant needs to give at least 2 months’ notice.
There is no minimum time you must have lived there first. GOV.UK’s guidance for landlords says tenants can give 2 months’ notice to end the tenancy at any point, unless a shorter notice period has been agreed. Rent stays payable until the tenancy ends.
| Situation | Notice the tenant gives |
|---|---|
| Agreement says 2 months | 2 months |
| Agreement says a shorter period, such as 1 month | The shorter period in the agreement |
| Agreement says more than 2 months | 2 months: a landlord cannot ask for more |
| Agreement says nothing about notice | At least 2 months |
| Landlord and tenant agree an earlier end date | Whatever is agreed, as long as it is in writing |
| Valid notice given before 1 May 2026 | Still applies: the tenancy ends on the date in that notice |
Sources: GOV.UK: how to end your tenancy (guide for tenants) · GOV.UK: if your tenant wants to leave (guide for landlords) · GOV.UK: if the tenancy started before 1 May 2026 · GOV.UK: ending a tenancy, guidance for landlords and letting agents
How a tenant’s notice must be given
A tenant’s notice has two rules: it must be in writing, and it must end the tenancy on the right day. GOV.UK says the notice must be given so the tenancy ends on a day when the rent is due or the day before the rent is due. A letter, an email or a text all count as writing.
Here is an example. Rent is due on the 1st of each month and the agreement is silent on notice. A tenant who sends notice on 10 October 2026 must give at least 2 months, which runs to 10 December 2026. The first end date that fits both rules is 31 December 2026, the day before a rent day, or 1 January 2027.
A landlord cannot tell the tenant how to give notice. Landlords should keep whatever arrives and reply in writing confirming the end date.
- Tenants: check the agreement for the notice period, then count at least that long from the day you send it.
- Tenants: pick an end date that is a rent day or the day before one, and state it clearly.
- Tenants: send it in writing and keep a copy or screenshot showing the date.
- Landlords: confirm the end date in writing and say how the check-out will work.
- Landlords: if you agree a shorter notice or an earlier end, put that agreement in writing.
- Both: arrange the final inspection and the return of the deposit under the deposit protection scheme rules.
Sources: GOV.UK: how to end your tenancy (guide for tenants) · GOV.UK: if your tenant wants to leave (guide for landlords)
Periodic tenancy notice period: tenancies that began before 1 May 2026
Every private assured shorthold tenancy in England became an assured periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026, including fixed terms that had not yet ended. So the old distinction between a fixed term, a contractual periodic tenancy and a statutory periodic tenancy no longer decides the notice period.
For these older tenancies GOV.UK says you cannot ask your tenant to give more than 2 months’ notice. Where the agreement states a notice period, that period generally still applies, capped at 2 months. Where a fixed term ended before 1 May 2026 and the agreement did not say what happened next, which is the classic statutory periodic tenancy, the tenant follows the process for assured periodic tenancies set out above.
A fixed term no longer holds a tenant in. A tenant who signed a 12-month agreement before May can now leave by giving notice. GOV.UK’s page if the tenancy started before 1 May 2026 sets out each case.
Sources: GOV.UK: if the tenancy started before 1 May 2026 · GOV.UK: ending a tenancy, guidance for landlords and letting agents
How much notice does a landlord have to give?
It depends on the reason. A landlord has to give at least the minimum notice for the ground they are using: GOV.UK describes this as usually at least 2 months, and up to 4 months. Where the tenant is at fault the period is shorter, and for antisocial behaviour there is none.
The notice must be a section 8 notice on Form 3A. If it relies on several grounds, the longest period applies, unless Ground 7A or 14 is one of them. Our section 8 grounds table lists every ground by number.
| Reason | Grounds | Minimum notice |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord or close family moving in | 1 | 4 months, not to expire in the first 12 months |
| Selling the property | 1A | 4 months, not to expire in the first 12 months |
| Redevelopment, lender’s sale, student HMO for next year | 6, 2, 4A | 4 months |
| Death of the tenant, job-linked homes, suitable alternative home offered | 7, 5A, 5C, 9 | 2 months |
| Rent arrears | 8, 10, 11 | 4 weeks |
| Breach of agreement, damage to property or furniture, false statement | 12, 13, 15, 17 | 2 weeks |
| No right to rent | 7B | 2 weeks |
| Antisocial or criminal behaviour | 7A, 14 | None: the landlord can apply to court at once |
Sources: GOV.UK: Form 3A guidance for private landlords (PDF) · GOV.UK: ending a tenancy, guidance for landlords and letting agents
How a landlord’s notice period is counted
The period begins on the day the notice is served on the tenant. The date written in the notice is the earliest day the landlord can apply to court, which is the day after the notice period ends. The government’s example: a notice with a two-month ground served on 1 June 2026 allows a court application on 1 August 2026.
That date is not a moving-out date. A tenant does not have to leave when the notice period ends. If they stay, the landlord must apply to court within 12 months of serving the notice, and removal can be carried out only by court bailiffs. The stages are in how to evict a tenant in England.
Sources: GOV.UK: Form 3A guidance for private landlords (PDF)
Joint tenants, and changing your mind
On a joint tenancy, GOV.UK says one tenant will usually be able to end the joint tenancy without the agreement of the others. That ends it for everyone, so the tenants who want to stay need to agree a new tenancy with the landlord before the notice runs out.
A tenant who gives notice and then has second thoughts can stay only if the landlord agrees in writing. If the landlord does not agree, the tenancy ends on the date in the notice. Landlords should be equally careful: once you agree in writing that a notice is withdrawn, the tenancy continues.
Sources: GOV.UK: how to end your tenancy (guide for tenants) · GOV.UK: if your tenant wants to leave (guide for landlords)
Lodgers and other types of tenancy
These notice periods are for assured periodic tenancies. A lodger who shares the landlord’s home has an excluded tenancy or licence. GOV.UK says the landlord needs to give reasonable notice, usually the length of the rental period, and that this notice does not have to be in writing or go through a court.
Regulated tenancies, which are older and much rarer, give tenants stronger protection and follow separate rules. If you are setting up a new let and want the notice terms right from the start, see our tenancy agreement template guide.
Common questions
Can a landlord ask for more than 2 months’ notice from a tenant?
No. 2 months is the maximum notice a landlord can ask a tenant to give under an assured periodic tenancy in England. If the tenancy agreement asks for longer, the tenant can still leave on 2 months’ notice. The agreement can set a shorter period, and the two sides can agree a shorter one in writing.
Can a tenant give 1 month’s notice?
Yes, if the tenancy agreement sets a 1-month notice period or the landlord agrees to it in writing. Without that, the default from 1 May 2026 is at least 2 months. The notice must be in writing and end the tenancy on a rent day or the day before one.
Can I give notice to my landlord by text or email?
Yes. From 1 May 2026 a tenant’s notice must be in writing, and GOV.UK gives letter, email and text as examples. A landlord cannot tell a tenant how to give notice. Keep a dated copy, and state the day the tenancy will end.
How much notice does a landlord have to give to sell the house?
4 months, using Ground 1A on a section 8 notice. The notice cannot expire within the first 12 months of the tenancy. If the tenant does not leave, the landlord has to apply to court, and after using this ground cannot re-let the property for 12 months in most cases.
Do I have to pay rent during my notice period?
Yes. Rent stays due for the whole notice period, up to 2 months, until the tenancy ends. GOV.UK says a tenant can move out early without paying for the rest of the tenancy only if the landlord agrees. Get that agreement in writing.
Can a landlord give 2 months’ notice without a reason?
No. Since 1 May 2026 a private landlord in England cannot end an assured periodic tenancy without a legal ground. The no fault notice under section 21 was abolished on that date. The landlord must serve a section 8 notice naming a ground, with the notice period for that ground.
Can one joint tenant give notice for everyone?
Usually yes. GOV.UK says one joint tenant will usually be able to end a joint tenancy without the others agreeing, by giving up to 2 months’ written notice. The whole tenancy then ends, so anyone who wants to stay needs a new agreement with the landlord.
Official sources and scope
Checked on 5 October 2026. This is general information for private landlords in England, not legal advice or a complete compliance assessment. Follow the current official guidance for your tenancy and get advice about exceptions, missed deadlines or disputes.
- GOV.UK: how to end your tenancy (guide for tenants)
- GOV.UK: if your tenant wants to leave (guide for landlords)
- GOV.UK: if the tenancy started before 1 May 2026
- GOV.UK: ending a tenancy, guidance for landlords and letting agents
- GOV.UK: Form 3A guidance for private landlords (PDF)
- GOV.UK: evicting tenants in England, overview
- Legislation: Protection from Eviction Act 1977, section 5
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