Private renting for tenants: tenancy agreements
If your landlord wants to end your tenancy
If your landlord wants you to leave, they must give you notice in a particular way.
Your landlord may need to have given you specific documents for your notice to be valid. This depends on the type of tenancy agreement and its terms. For example, they may be required to give you a gas safety certificate, an energy certificate and a copy of the How to rent guide.
Assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs)
Your landlord can take back their property without giving any reason if you have either:
- periodic tenancy (sometimes called a 鈥榬olling tenancy鈥�)
- a fixed-term tenancy that has ended
This is called a Section 21 notice.
To do this, all of the following must apply:
- they鈥檝e protected your deposit in a deposit protection scheme, if the tenancy began or was renewed on or after 6 April 2007
- they鈥檝e given you at least 2 months written notice that they want the property back (鈥榥otice to quit鈥�)
- the date you must leave is at least 6 months after your original tenancy began (the date you moved in)
Your landlord must serve you notice using the correct form. Shelter has information on .
If your tenancy started or was renewed after 1 October 2015
Your landlord cannot evict you if they鈥檝e been served notice by the council because of a complaint you made to the council about the living conditions in the property.
Your landlord must also have given you:
- a copy of the leaflet 鈥楬ow to rent: the checklist for renting in England鈥�
- an energy performance certificate
- a gas safety certificate
If you鈥檝e been asked to leave during the fixed term
Your landlord can only ask you to leave during the fixed term if they have certain reasons (鈥榞rounds鈥�). For example, if:
- you鈥檙e behind with your rent payments (鈥榠n arrears鈥�)
- you鈥檝e used the property for illegal purposes, like selling drugs
- you鈥檝e damaged the property
This is called a Section 8 notice.
The notice period your landlord gives you will depend on the reason (鈥榞round鈥�). Read Annex A of the guidance for private tenants to find out more about notice periods.
Assured tenancies
Your landlord will need to use one of the reasons or 鈥榞rounds鈥� for possession in the .
Excluded tenancies or licences
You鈥檒l often have an excluded tenancy or licence if you live with your landlord as a lodger and share rooms with them.
Your landlord only needs to give 鈥榬easonable notice鈥� to quit. Usually this means the length of the rental payment period 鈥� so if you pay rent monthly, you鈥檒l get one month鈥檚 notice.
The notice does not have to be in writing.
Non-excluded tenancy or licence
Your landlord can end the let at any time by serving a written 鈥榥otice to quit鈥�. The notice period will depend on the tenancy or agreement, but is often at least 4 weeks.
Break clauses
If there鈥檚 a break clause in the tenancy agreement, your landlord can give you notice after this. However, your landlord does not have a guaranteed right to possession during the first 6 months of the tenancy.
If you do not leave the property
Your landlord cannot remove you by force. If the notice period expires and you do not leave the property, your landlord may start the process of eviction through the courts.
If you have an excluded tenancy or licence you can be evicted without a court order.