Assured periodic tenancies: a guide for landlords
If your tenant wants to leave
The tenancy agreement should say how much notice your tenants need to give before they can leave the property.
The maximum notice you can ask your tenant for is 2 months.
If the tenancy agreement does not say how much notice your tenant must give, they will need to give at least 2 months’ notice.
You can agree with your tenant to end the tenancy earlier or have a shorter notice period. This will need to be in writing.
Your tenant must give their notice:
- so the tenancy ends on a day when the rent is due or the day before the rent is due
- in writing, for example, by letter, email or text
You cannot tell your tenant how they should give their notice.
Your tenant will need to continue to pay rent during the notice period before the tenancy ends.
They can move out early without paying rent for the remainder of the tenancy if you agree to this.
If your tenant has given notice but changes their mind, they can only stay if you agree in writing.
If you do not agree, the tenancy will end as planned.
If more than one tenant is on the same assured periodic tenancy agreement
This is a ‘joint tenancy’.
If a joint tenant wants to leave, one tenant will usually be able to end the joint tenancy without the agreement of the other tenants.
If a joint tenant asks to give a shorter notice period, all the other joint tenants will need to agree to the shorter notice period.
If a joint tenant changes their mind and would like to stay, all the other joint tenants must also agree. If they do not agree, then the tenancy will need to end.
If some of the existing tenants want to stay, you can create a new tenancy agreement.
New tenants can also be added to an existing tenancy agreement.