Notice to Quit
Quick answer
A common-law notice ending a contractual periodic tenancy (rather than a statutorily protected one). For most modern residential lets governed by the Housing Act 1988 the relevant notices are Section 21 (until 1 May 2026) and Section 8 (Form 3A) under the assured shorthold / assured periodic tenancy regime, not a common-law Notice to Quit. The phrase is still used colloquially and remains relevant for specific edge cases: company lets, resident landlords, holiday lets and tenancies excluded from the Housing Act 1988 by Schedule 1.
At a glance
- Used for
- Common-law and non-assured tenancies, and licences
- Not used for
- Assured tenancies — those need Section 8
- Tenant’s notice (assured periodic)
- Two months, ending on any date
- Landlord shortcut
- None — only a court order removes an occupier
Full guide
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Open full guideWhy Notice to Quit matters for landlords
Landlords reach for "notice to quit" because it sounds like the natural phrase, and it is usually the wrong instrument. For an assured tenancy — which covers most private lets in England — the landlord’s route is a Section 8 notice on Form 3A, not a notice to quit. Serving the wrong document wastes the notice period and can look careless at a hearing. The phrase is genuinely correct for common-law tenancies, licences and some company lets. Note the asymmetry that the Renters’ Rights Act created: the **tenant** can end an assured periodic tenancy on two months’ notice ending on any date, while the landlord must prove a ground.
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Official sources
LetCompliance editorial reviews this entry every quarter against the sources above. Always confirm specific duties with a qualified solicitor or your local council.
Related terms
Eviction Ban
A government-imposed moratorium on enforcing possession orders, used during the COVID-19 pandemic. No eviction ban is in force as of 2026. Bailiffs can enforce possession orders once 14 days' notice has been given.
Form 6A (Section 21 Notice)
The prescribed form landlords used to serve a Section 21 “no-fault” possession notice in England, until Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 by the Renters Rights Act 2025. Two months’ minimum notice; it was void if any of the prerequisites (deposit protected within 30 days, valid Gas Safety record, current EPC, How to Rent guide given) was missing. Since 1 May 2026 Form 6A is no longer issuable for new notices and possession is pursued under Section 8 / Form 3A only.
Notice Period
The minimum period a landlord must give before seeking possession under Section 8. Most grounds now require 4 months' notice under the Renters Rights Act 2025, anti-social behaviour can be served with immediate effect, and Ground 8 arrears notice is 4 weeks.
Accelerated Possession
A fast-track court procedure used under a Section 21 notice in England and Wales. Abolished for new claims from 1 May 2026 because Section 21 no longer exists. Possession is now pursued under Section 8 using a specified ground.
Article 4 Direction
A planning tool councils use under article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 to remove permitted-development rights, most commonly the right to convert a single-family home (Use Class C3) into a small HMO (Use Class C4) without planning permission. In an Article 4 area, every C3 → C4 conversion needs a full planning application, and operating without it can trigger an enforcement notice, a planning contravention notice or a refusal of HMO licence.
Assured Periodic Tenancy (APT)
The single tenancy type that replaced the assured shorthold tenancy (AST) in England under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. From 1 May 2026 every existing AST automatically converted to a periodic assured tenancy — no fixed term, rolling from period to period — and no new fixed-term ASTs can be granted. The tenant can leave on two months’ notice; the landlord can only regain possession using a Section 8 ground.