How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out UK?

How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out? This is a great question. With goalposts constantly changing for landlords, we’re curious to see how much notice landlords must give tenants in the UK.

It’s also worth noting that not all tenancy agreements are the same. There are a variety of living situations available to tenants. From assured tenancy agreements to lodgers, make sure you know your rights as a landlord before you step into a tenancy. 

What are the different ways to rent in the UK?

There are a few ways in which people rent in the UK. Here are a few examples of different housing arrangements.

Assured tenancies

The most common rental agreement you’ll find in the rental market is an assured tenancy agreement. This agreement is also known as an assured shorthold tenancy agreement.

The AST will include clauses such as 

• The start date of the tenancy.
• Rent payable and rent due date.
• Any rent review clause.
• The length of the agreement.
• Inventory of the property 
• Health and safety agreement 

How much notice do I need to give a tenant with an AST?

As stated by .gov – 

“Your landlord will need to use one of the reasons or ‘grounds’ for possession in the Housing Act 1988.”

Excluded tenancies or licences

If you live with your tenant they’re more commonly known as a lodger. These arrangements exclude a tenancy or license. 

As a landlord you legally only need to give ‘reasonable notice’ to end the arrangement. This is usually the length of the rental payment period. 

If your lodger usually pays monthly, this is the length of time you should give them notice. It’s worth making this clear to your lodger at the start of the agreement.

Surprisingly, the notice does not have to be in writing.

Break clauses

Have you got a break clause placed in your AST agreement? You should. It gives you, the landlord, the opportunity to break the agreement and serve notice. 

You’ll need to give your tenants enough notice that you indent to make use of the break clause. A month before this date is when you should communicate in writing that you expect to end the tenancy. 

The break clause is usually halfway through the tenancy agreement A standard length of time for an assured tenancy agreement is one year. 

Tenant rights around being served notice

Tenants are being granted more rights to protect them from immediate and unfair changes to their tenancy. 

See our advice page on evictions and Rental Reform 2022 to understand the best practices in 2023 and beyond. 

Your local council will also provide you with advice and help to navigate any tricky tenants. 

Getting your insurance organised 

If you’re about to purchase your first rental property, speak to CIA and we’ll help you get a policy that gives you peace of mind. Get in touch with our highly experienced team and discover all the ways CIA can help you with your landlord insurance.