Renters' Rights Act
Giving Notice to Quit a Periodic Tenancy Agreement
On 1 May 2026 all tenancy agreements that have already been signed will convert to what will be known as an Assured Periodic Tenancy. This means there will be no fixed term and a tenancy can be brought to an end by you giving at least 2 months' notice to the accommodation provider and the notice must end on the last day of a rental period. Each monthly period of your tenancy will start on the same day of the month as your tenancy started. In most cases, this will be the date you were entitled to move into the property.
Section 21 of the Renters’ Rights Act states that you must give Notice to Quit your tenancy in writing to your accommodation provider. You can do this electronically by email or text as well as a posted letter. If your accommodation provider disputes how you have given notice, refer them to section 21 of the act, as they are no longer allowed to dictate how written notice should be given.
If you choose to serve notice by post, it is deemed to be served the 2nd business day after posting.
State in the notice the date you intend to quit - for example, 5 July 2026, then add the words ‘or the next date after this notice which is at least 2 months from service of this notice being the last day of a period of the tenancy’. Those additional words could save your notice from becoming invalid if you accidentally put in the wrong calendar date.
Communicate with your accommodation provider
Contact your accommodation provider if you have any questions about the end of your tenancy. You could also mutually agree an end date for your tenancy. Make sure you get this agreement in writing.
Example - Your tenancy commenced on 6 September 2025 and you want to end the tenancy on 5 July 2026
The period of your tenancy runs from the 6th of one month to the 5th day of the following month.
If you send your Notice to Quit via e-mail or text to your accommodation provider on a business day before 4.30pm, then it will deemed to have been served on that day.
This would mean that if you gave your notice by email on 1 May before 4.30pm then it will be deemed to have been served on 1 May. However, in the above example, that is not the last day of a period of the tenancy, which in this case is the 5th day of the month. Therefore, the earliest date Notice to Quit can take effect is 5 July 2026.
If you choose to serve notice by post, it is deemed to be served the 2nd business day after posting.
Example - Your tenancy commenced on 1 July 2025 and you want to end the tenancy on 30 June 2026
The period of your tenancy runs from the 1st of one month to the last day of that month ie. 1 July to 31 July.
If you send your Notice to Quit via e-mail or text to your accommodation provider on a business day before 4.30pm, then it will deemed to have been served on that day.
This would mean that if you gave your notice by email on 1 May before 4.30pm then it will be deemed to have been served on 1 May. Therefore, the earliest date Notice to Quit can take effect is 30 June 2026.
How to get support
If you have any questions or need housing advice, you can contact your university, Students’ Union or Liverpool Student Homes.