What is Section 48 Notice (Landlord’s Address for Service)?

What is a Section 48 notice?

Section 48 Notice (Landlord’s Address for Service)

Section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 requires the landlord of a home in England to give the tenant, in writing, an address in England or Wales at which notices can be served. Until it is given, rent is treated as not due; once it is, the earlier rent becomes payable. An address in the tenancy agreement, given without limitation, is enough. Whether a letting agent’s address counts has not been decided by an appeal court.

Reviewed by Erdem VolkanLast reviewed 8 October 2026How we check facts

Why it matters

What Section 48 Notice (Landlord’s Address for Service) means for a landlord

Section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 requires you to give the tenant an address in England or Wales at which notices can be served on you. Until you do, rent is not treated as lawfully due, which matters if you later rely on rent arrears for a Section 8 Ground 8 possession claim, because the arrears may not count. The address is normally built into the tenancy agreement, so it is easy to satisfy, but easy to overlook when using a bare template. It is a small clause with an outsized effect on a possession case.

Worked example

How it plays out

Paolo lives in Spain and lets a flat in Leeds. His tenancy agreement gives only his Spanish address. When the tenant falls behind, Paolo’s solicitor notices that no address in England or Wales has been given, so rent is not treated as due until one is. Paolo sends the tenant a notice giving his agent’s Leeds office as his address for service, with the agent’s agreement, and only then serves a Section 8 notice.

An illustrative example. Names, places and figures are made up.

Common mistakes

Where landlords go wrong

01Giving only an address outside England and Wales.
02Assuming an email address is enough.
03Serving an arrears notice before fixing the address.

What to do

A short checklist

Check your tenancy agreement includes an address in England or Wales for notices.
If it does not, give one by written notice.
Keep proof it was given.

Sources

legislation.gov.uk: Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, section 48

Checked against these sources on 8 October 2026. A guide to the rules in England, not legal advice: for a dispute or a possession claim, speak to a solicitor.