Ending the tenancy
If you want to move
Most tenants will need to give the landlord at least 2 months’ written notice if they want to move. The written notice must end on the first or last day of a rental period.
Once you have given notice (called a ‘Notice to Quit’), the tenancy will end, so be sure that you have somewhere else to go before you give notice. If your circumstances change and you want to stay beyond the notice period, you should contact the landlord to see if they will agree to let you stay or get legal advice as soon as possible.
If your landlord wants you to go
If your landlord wants you to leave, and you don’t want to go voluntarily, they must follow the proper legal process. This starts by giving you a written notice on a form called 3A. The Notice must state a reason, and the Notice period they have to give you depends on the reason.
You have a right to remain in your home beyond the Notice period. You do not have to leave unless your landlord applies to court for possession for the reasons in the Notice and the Court agrees to order you to leave – known as a Possession Order. If you are still living there when the Possession Order ends, the landlord can get a Bailiff to come and evict you. However, if you do stay, you may be told to pay your landlord’s legal costs.
The most common reason for possession is rent arrears. If you are struggling to pay your rent, check if you are entitled to housing benefit or other financial help – you may not be claiming everything you are entitled to. You could use this calculator to find out:
Your landlord may have other reasons for wanting you to go (called grounds for possession). These include:
• Your landlord wants to use or sell the property
• Your landlord plans to re-develop the property
• Antisocial behaviour
• You’ve breached the terms of your tenancy agreement
• You’ve allowed the condition of the property or furniture to deteriorate
Important Note:
If you are at risk of losing your home you should seek legal advice as soon as you can. Contact us, or search for a local legal firm on the Government’s website: https://find-legal-advice.justice.gov.uk/
You should also let Brent Council know. They will contact your landlord to see if there is a way for you to stay in your home, which could involve offering to help financially. You can use this email address to contact them: