For many reasons, landlords in London Bridge, Waterloo, Bermondsey, Borough and across London regularly end tenancies. Perhaps you want to move into the property and enjoy the SE1 neighbourhood for yourself, sell up, or have legal concerns like rent arrears or antisocial behaviour. But the procedure and notice period for a landlord to end a tenancy changed in May 2026.
Whatever the reason for ending the tenancy, London landlords must understand the strict legal processes that have come into place under the Renters’ Rights Act. Failure to follow the correct procedures could result in an unlawful eviction, with landlords required to compensate the tenant financially.
Our step-by-step guide explains landlords’ responsibilities when ending a tenancy and how to stay on the right side of the law.
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If you’re considering ending a tenancy, you must give the tenants proper written notice by serving a Section 8 notice citing a valid legal ground. You can no longer issue a ‘no fault’ eviction notice, and fixed term tenancies will automatically become periodic tenancies under the Renters’ Rights Act.
The timescale for ending a contract depends on the type of tenancy agreement and its terms. Tenants can give their landlord 2 months’ notice to end their tenancy at any time. Seek advice from your letting agency or solicitor.
As of 1 May 2026, a tenancy can be ended when:
These are some of the key changes from the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 to be aware of when ending tenancies from 2026 onwards.
The correct landlord notice period to end a tenancy depends on your grounds for possession. A landlord cannot require a tenant to leave the property in the first 12 months of the tenancy under certain grounds for possession, such as the new Ground 1A for a landlord intending to sell the property.
You can serve a Section 8 repossession notice at any point after this, giving the notice period stipulated for the relevant grounds. Most grounds require four months’ notice, but some require shorter notice periods: immediately for anti-social behaviour, 2 weeks for domestic abuse and 4 weeks for serious rent arrears.
Landlords can follow this step-by-step process for notifying a tenant of the end of the tenancy from 1 May 2026. These are the timescales that usually apply, and the exact notice periods depend on the tenancy.
Section 21 has been abolished and you can now only serve tenants a Section 8 notice. New Renters’ Rights Act rules state that you can only evict under specific grounds for possession, so establish which applies.
Serve a Section 8 notice giving the reasons for the tenancy ending. This includes traditional Section 8 grounds such as if the tenant has damaged the rental property, as well as new, expanded grounds, such as a landlord wanting to sell.
Allow the correct notice period to expire. Most notice periods have increased under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, for instance, the notice period for many mandatory grounds will rise to 4 months.
Apply to court for a possession order if the tenant does not leave by the date given.
Hopefully the tenants will leave, but if not, call on the bailiffs’ services if needed.
Want to be a more informed landlord? Once notice has been served, you’ll need to think about how to effectively manage void properties and ensure you have deposit protection before the tenancy ends.
An Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) has long been the most common type of tenancy agreement, but fixed-term ASTs no longer exist for new tenancies. All tenancies are now periodic, with existing ASTs becoming periodic on 1 May 2026. To end a periodic tenancy, follow the rules carefully.
Landlords can end a periodic tenancy with a Section 8 notice, giving at the correct weeks’ or months’ notice. However, they cannot ask tenants to leave during the first 12 months of the tenancy to sell or move into the property themselves. Section 8 notices require that the exact grounds for possession are given, and explained in full.
Common and valid reasons include:
You can only use a Section 8 notice to end these long-term tenancies and must present valid reasons covered by the Housing Act 1988 in court.
Excluded tenancy agreements (e.g. a lodger who shares the property with you) grant tenants fewer rights. Give ‘reasonable notice’ to quit, usually the same as the rental payment period. It doesn’t need to be issued in writing.
These agreements can be ended at any time with a written ‘notice to quit’ under the terms of the contract.
Break clauses in tenancy agreements, allowing both parties to end the fixed term early if required, are generally not applicable since fixed terms have been abolished. New tenancies will be periodic from day one, with existing fixed term contracts being converted to periodic tenancies from 1 May 2026. Landlords will need to use Section 8 grounds for possession.
Most tenants are respectful when you’ve served a Section 8 notice, but some won’t comply with notices to quit.
Start the eviction process through the courts to remove them after the notice period has expired. Never take matters into your own hands. Changing the locks or removing belongings constitutes an illegal or unlawful eviction.
Where the section 8 notice was issued on or after 1 May 2026, you will have up to 12 months to apply to court for eviction. You can no longer serve a section 21 notice or accelerated possession order to evict without a court hearing. If the tenant doesn’t leave, a court hearing will occur before a judge, and if successful, the judge will set a date of possession.
If your tenants don’t leave by the date set, apply for a warrant for possession . The court will issue a warrant number and notice of appointment, including an eviction date. The warrant permits a bailiff to enter the property, evict the tenants and return it to the landlord.
If you’re preparing to re-let, take a look at renting furnished vs unfurnished and how to choose a tenant for your next rental agreement.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords now need to issue a Section 8 notice using the new prescribed Form 3. Here’s a simple summary of the information you need to include on the end of tenancy notice template for properties London and elsewhere in England:
Do:
Don’t:
Landlords sometimes need to regain possession of their property, but this is now a more complex legal process. Errors can lead to a failed possession claim or even penalties, so reach out for expert advice before taking action. If you rent out a property in SE1 or anywhere in Surrey Quays, Vauxhall , Elephant & Castle , Canada Water or Wapping , speak to the experienced team at Garrett Whitelock. We can help you through a diverse selection of issues, from whether to sell a property with tenants or navigate the new Renters’ Rights Act.
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