How a tenant can end a tenancy

Steps to end a tenancy

To end your tenancy, you must:

1. Provide your landlord with a written Notice of Termination.
2. Give the correct notice period.
3. Make sure the property is in good condition.

Do I need a reason to end my tenancy?

No, you do not need to provide a reason, but you must give your landlord a valid Notice of Termination.

Ending a fixed term tenancy early

If you end your fixed term tenancy earlier than agreed, you might have to pay penalties. For example, you might lose your deposit or have to pay rent for the time left on the lease, even if the landlord finds another tenant.

Exceptions when you can end a fixed-term tenancy early

You can end a fixed term tenancy early in these cases:

• There is a break clause: your lease allows ending the tenancy early.
• Both you and your landlord agree: to end the tenancy early.
• Landlord breach: your landlord has not met their responsibilities, and has not fixed the issue in a reasonable time (usually 14 days). You can give a shorter notice period of 28 days in this case.
• Serious risk: if your landlord’s behaviour causes imminent danger to life, serious injury, or the structure of the property, you can give 7 days’ notice.
• Refusal to sublet: If your private landlord does not allow you to assign or sublet the property.

Notice periods

The notice you need to give depends on how long the tenancy has been in place. There are different notice periods when a landlord ends a tenancy.

Shorter notice periods

You can give a shorter notice period in these cases:

• Student specific accommodation: you only need to give your landlord 28 days’ notice.
• Serious risk: If the property is a danger to life or safety, you can give 7 days’ notice.
• Landlord breach: if your landlord has not met their responsibilities, follow these steps:

1. Write to them explaining the issue and give them a reasonable time to fix the issue.
2. If they do not fix the issue, you can then send a notice of termination giving the landlord 28 days’ notice to end the tenancy.

Requirements for a valid Notice of Termination

Make sure that your Notice of Termination meets certain standards so that it is legally valid. A valid notice must:

• Be in writing (not by email)
• Be signed by you
• Include the date the notice is sent. This is the date the notice is posted or hand delivered.
• Give the date the tenancy will end. You have the full 24 hours on that day to leave the property.
• Give the reason for ending the tenancy (only if you are leaving due to a landlord breach – see above).
• Tell the landlord they have 28 days from the date of receipt of the notice to refer their case to the RTB if they believe the notice is not valid where there has been a breach of obligation. New laws have increased this notice period to 90 days where there has been no breach of obligation.

RTB templates

The best way to be sure the notice is correct is to use the RTB templates needed.

Getting your deposit back

If you have paid your rent in full, given proper notice and left the property in good condition, your landlord should return your deposit quickly. Read our page on security deposits for more guidance on how to get your deposit back quickly and in full.