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If you want your tenants to leave, you must give them notice in a particular way, including certain information and warnings. This depends on the type of tenancy agreement and its terms.

Assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs)

In some circumstances, you can take back your property without giving any reason. To do this, all of the following must apply:

• you鈥檝e protected your tenants鈥� deposit in a deposit protection scheme
• the date they must leave is at least 6 months after the original tenancy began (the one they signed on first moving in)
• they have a periodic tenancy - or they have a fixed-term tenancy and you are not asking them to leave before the end of the fixed term

How much notice you need to give

You must give your tenants written notice that you want the property back (鈥榥otice to quit鈥�) and the date they must leave. The notice period you give them must be at least 2 months for section 21 notices.

Find more information about what notice you need to give in the 鈥楿nderstanding the possession action process: guidance for landlords and tenants鈥�.

During the fixed term

If you鈥檙e still in the fixed term, you can only ask your tenants to leave if you have a reason for wanting possession that鈥檚 in the .

Examples of reasons include:

• your tenants are behind with rent payments (鈥榠n arrears鈥�)
• your tenants have used the property for illegal purposes, for example selling drugs

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has information on reasons for possession for a property let on an AST.

Assured tenancies

You will need to use one of the reasons for possession in the .

Excluded tenancies or licences

If you live with a lodger and share rooms with them, you鈥檒l often have an excluded tenancy or licence.

In this case, you only need to give 鈥榬easonable notice鈥� to quit. Usually this means the length of the rental payment period 鈥� so if you collect rent monthly, you鈥檒l need to give one month鈥檚 notice.

The notice does not have to be in writing.

Non-excluded tenancy or licence

You can end the agreement at any time by serving a written 鈥榥otice to quit鈥�. The notice period will depend on the tenancy or agreement, but it鈥檚 usually at least 4 weeks.

Break clauses

If there鈥檚 a break clause in the tenancy agreement, you can give your tenants notice after this. However, you do not have a guaranteed right to possession during the first 6 months of the tenancy.

If your tenant does not leave the property

You cannot remove your tenants by force. If the notice period expires and your tenants do not leave the property, you can start the process of eviction through the courts.