How to end a periodic tenancy
How much notice
You can give your landlord a legal notice called a 'notice to quit' to end a rolling tenancy.
This is a more formal option. Your tenancy will end legally if you follow the rules on how much notice and where to send it.
A legal notice must:
be in writing
give the right amount of notice
end on the correct day
Here is an example of a notice to quit.
A legal notice ends your tenancy and your right to live in your home.
Joint tenancies will end for all tenants even if only one of you gives notice.
You cannot withdraw a valid notice if you change your mind.
Your landlord may agree to let you or other joint tenants stay on after a notice ends.
Minimum notice periods
You need to give at least:
1 month if your rent is due monthly
4 weeks if your rent is due weekly
You can usually give the minimum notice to end your tenancy if your most recent agreement does not mention a longer notice period or if you've never had a written agreement.
You may still need to give more than the minimum notice to make sure it ends on the right day.
If your agreement says you must give more notice
Your agreement might have a 'notice clause'.
For example, if it says you have to give 2 months' notice.
A notice clause might not apply after your fixed term has ended but sometimes it will.
When will the longer notice apply?
The longer notice period will only apply if either:
you never had a fixed term agreement
your agreement says it continues as a contractual periodic tenancy after the fixed term
You can ignore a notice clause in your most recent agreement if both:
your fixed term has ended
your agreement does not say that it continues as a contractual periodic tenancy
Try our webchat service if your landlord or agent say something different, or you're unsure what your agreement means.
Last updated: 14 June 2023
