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What is Notice to quit?
Last verified 31 October 2026
A notice to quit is a notice ending a periodic tenancy at the end of a rental period. In England, landlords can no longer use one to end an assured tenancy: they must use a section 8 notice with a ground for possession.
Why it matters to landlords
GOV.UK says that from 1 May 2026 landlords cannot use the section 21 process and must use section 8. Tenants have a different route: they can stay until they decide to leave by giving two months' notice, ending at the end of a rent period. A tenancy has no fixed end date, so there is no date to wait for.
A notice to quit is still the language for excluded tenancies and licences, such as a lodger who lives with you. You give reasonable notice to quit, usually one rental period, and it does not have to be in writing. You can then change the locks on their rooms. Illegal eviction and harassment are criminal offences. In Scotland the equivalent for a private residential tenancy is a notice to leave.
Example
Hamid has a lodger, Sue, who pays rent monthly and lives in his spare room. He gives her reasonable notice, normally one rental period. If instead he rents a separate flat on an assured tenancy, he cannot send a notice to quit and must serve a section 8 notice with a valid ground.