A tenant on an assured periodic tenancy in England must give at least two months' written notice to end it, unless the landlord has agreed in writing to a shorter period. Many tenancy agreements already say one month, and that counts, so read yours first. Your agreement may still be headed "assured shorthold tenancy"; since 1 May 2026 it is an assured periodic tenancy. GOV.UK says a landlord cannot ask for more than two months. The rules below apply to notices given from 1 May 2026.
The short version
- Notice: two months, in writing, or less if your landlord has agreed in writing (check your agreement).
- End date: safest is the day before a rent day.
- Joint tenancy: one tenant's notice is valid and usually ends the tenancy for everyone.
- Until you leave: you pay rent for the whole notice period unless the landlord agrees otherwise.
- Deposit: due back within 10 days of you and the landlord agreeing the amount.
How much notice does a tenant need to give to end a tenancy?
Since 1 May 2026 a fixed term in an assured tenancy is of no effect, and the tenancy rolls on as a periodic one (section 4A of the Housing Act 1988, inserted by section 1 of the Renters' Rights Act). Existing tenancies continue the same way (Renters' Rights Act, section 146).
Section 5(1ZA) of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 says a tenant's notice must be given not less than two months before it takes effect. A shorter period replaces that if the landlord has agreed it in writing and it is no longer than two months. Neither provision requires the tenant to give a reason. GOV.UK says your agreement should state the notice, and if it does not, give at least two months.
If your tenancy started before 1 May 2026, a notice you gave before that date still ends the tenancy on its date, GOV.UK says, and Schedule 6, paragraph 9 leaves its validity untouched. A few tenancies are treated differently, such as one where the landlord had already served a section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 (Schedule 6, paragraphs 1, 3 and 4), so take advice if that is you. GOV.UK's guidance for tenancies that began before 1 May 2026:
| Your tenancy before 1 May 2026 | Notice period |
|---|---|
| Rolling from the start | The period in your agreement applies, up to a maximum of two months |
| Fixed term ending on or after 1 May 2026 | The period in your agreement applies, up to a maximum of two months |
| Fixed term ended before 1 May 2026, agreement says it then rolls on | The period in your agreement usually still applies |
| Fixed term ended before 1 May 2026, agreement silent | Use the assured periodic process: two months |
How do you count the two months and give notice?
- Choose an end date. GOV.UK says the tenancy must end on a rent day or the day before one. The safest choice is the day before a rent day.
- Count back at least two months. Neither the Act nor GOV.UK says how a posted or emailed notice is counted, so leave a margin of several days.
- Put it in writing. GOV.UK accepts a letter, email or text, and says your landlord cannot choose the method. Its list of prescribed forms has none for a tenant's notice, and the prescribed information regulations cover a landlord's notice. Name every tenant, the address and the end date.
- Keep proof. Keep a copy, and ask the landlord to confirm receipt in writing.
An illustration with invented dates: rent is due on the 1st and you want to leave on 30 November 2027, the day before a rent day. On a plain count the latest day to give notice is 30 September. You hand it over on Wednesday 15 September to leave a margin.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Wed 15 Sep 2027 | Notice handed over and emailed |
| 1 Oct and 1 Nov | Rent due as normal |
| Tue 30 Nov 2027 | Tenancy ends. Hand back the keys. |
What if there is more than one tenant on the agreement?
Section 5(1ZC) keeps a valid notice from only one or some joint tenants valid. GOV.UK says that tenant will usually end the tenancy for all of you, so talk to your housemates first.
- Shorter notice needs the landlord and every tenant to agree in writing.
- Withdrawing a notice needs the landlord and all tenants to agree in writing (section 5A).
- Staying on may mean a new agreement with the remaining tenants, or a swap if every tenant and the landlord agree. A landlord can charge up to the greater of £50 or reasonable costs for that (Tenant Fees Act, Schedule 1).
What do you owe, and can you leave early?
You pay rent until the tenancy ends. GOV.UK says you can leave sooner without paying the rest only if your landlord agrees, in writing. A landlord may ask for a payment to release you, capped at the landlord's loss (Schedule 1, paragraph 7). A letting agent arranging it is capped at its reasonable costs. GOV.UK's fees guidance adds that it cannot exceed the rent for the missing notice. Treat the lower figure as the limit, on our reading.
If you agree an earlier end mid-period, section 14ZC entitles you to be repaid rent that relates to days after the tenancy ends. On our reading that is worked out by days: with an invented £1,200 for a 30-day November and an agreed end at the end of 15 November, 15 days fall after the end, so £600.
What happens with the keys and the deposit?
The law sets no handover checklist. Our suggestion: photograph each room, take meter readings, return every key for a dated receipt and give a forwarding address. A lost key can be charged only if your agreement says so, at reasonable cost, with written evidence (Schedule 1, paragraph 4). Check-out fees are not on the Act's list: see our tenant fees article.
GOV.UK's deposit page says the landlord must return the deposit within 10 days of you both agreeing the amount. If you agreed on Friday 10 December 2027, that is Monday 20 December on a plain count, or Sunday 19 December if the day of agreement counts, so ask for payment by Friday 17 December to be safe. The scheme's free dispute service needs both sides to agree to use it and its decision is final. Our deposits article covers the landlord's side, and deposits and moving in covers yours.
What if you cannot leave on the date?
Ask early and in writing. If you change your mind, GOV.UK says you can stay only if your landlord agrees in writing, and otherwise the tenancy ends as planned. The sources we read do not say what follows if you stay on, so take advice first. GOV.UK names Shelter and Citizens Advice.
How is this different from a landlord ending the tenancy?
| You end it | Your landlord ends it | |
|---|---|---|
| Reason | None asked for | A ground for possession |
| Notice | Two months, or less if agreed | From four weeks to four months depending on the ground, and none for two antisocial behaviour grounds |
| Form | Any written form | Form 3A, the Section 8 notice |
Section 21 "no fault" notices ended on 1 May 2026, and a landlord whose notice runs out can apply to court for a possession order (GOV.UK, Form 3A). See our article on Section 8 notices.
What the sources do not settle
- How the two months run for a posted or emailed notice.
- The end date. The Act's text does not say. Its Explanatory Notes say the notice takes effect "at the end of a period of the tenancy", which usually means the day before a rent day, and GOV.UK also allows the rent day itself. Choose the day before a rent day if you can.
- GOV.UK says one joint tenant will "usually" end a joint tenancy. The Act says only that the notice stays valid; the rest is case law.
- Social housing assured tenancies start later, GOV.UK says in 2027 at the earliest. Other kinds of tenancy are outside this article.
If you are planning your next move in Edmonton or Enfield, you can register to rent with us. Our guide to ending your tenancy has the basics.
Questions readers ask
Can one joint tenant end the tenancy for everyone?
Usually, yes. Section 5(1ZC) of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 keeps a valid notice from only one or some joint tenants valid, and GOV.UK says one tenant will usually be able to end the joint tenancy without the others agreeing, following long-standing case law (Hammersmith and Fulham v Monk). If you want to stay, all the other tenants and the landlord must agree.
Do I have to use a form to give notice to my landlord?
GOV.UK lists no prescribed form for a tenant's notice. It says to give notice in writing, for example by letter, email or text, and that your landlord cannot tell you which method to use. Keep a copy of what you send. The Act also makes any term that binds you to a particular way of giving written notice of no effect.
Can I give less than two months' notice?
Only if your landlord has agreed in writing, and many tenancy agreements already say one month, so read yours first. The Act sets two months as the default and allows a shorter period the landlord has agreed to in writing. For a joint tenancy, that agreement is valid only if the landlord and all the tenants make it. GOV.UK says the most a landlord can ask for is two months.
Do I pay rent for the whole notice period if I move out early?
Yes, unless your landlord agrees otherwise. GOV.UK says you must keep paying rent during the notice period, and can move out early without paying the rest only if your landlord agrees. A landlord may ask for a payment for releasing you early, which the Tenant Fees Act caps.
When must my landlord return my deposit?
GOV.UK says the landlord must return the deposit within 10 days of you both agreeing how much you get back. If you disagree, the deposit stays protected in the scheme, and the scheme's free dispute service can decide if both sides agree to use it. Its decision is final.
Sources
- GOV.UK, Assured periodic tenancies: a guide for tenants, published 7 April 2026, read on 17 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, Renters' Rights Act overview for tenants, read on 17 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, Tenancy deposit protection, Assured tenancy forms and Fees you can charge as part of a tenancy (updated 7 July 2026), read on 17 October 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk, Protection from Eviction Act 1977, section 5 and section 5A, read on 17 October 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk, Renters' Rights Act 2025, sections 1, 10, 20, 21 and 146 and Schedule 6, read on 17 October 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk, Explanatory Notes to the Renters' Rights Act 2025, paragraphs 199 to 206, read on 17 October 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk, Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 1, Housing Act 1988, section 14ZC and S.I. 1988/2201, regulation 2, read on 17 October 2026.
