Eviction Notice To Quit Template for England and Wales

A Notice to Quit is the formal document a landlord serves on a tenant before starting possession proceedings in England and Wales. It tells the tenant that you require the property back, gives them the statutory period to leave, and sets a date by which they must give up possession. Without serving a valid notice first, you cannot ask the court for a possession order.

What is a Notice to Quit?

A Notice to Quit is a written notice from a landlord to a tenant confirming that the agreement will come to an end and that the tenant must give up possession by a stated date. People also search for it as a notice to quit form, an eviction notice, a tenant notice, or a notice to end a tenancy. For assured shorthold lets the modern route is a Section 8 or Section 21 notice; for common law and some periodic arrangements a traditional Notice to Quit is used. The document names the parties, the property address, the grounds (where relevant), the period of notice, and the date the tenant must leave.

When do you need this template?

You need to serve a notice when you want possession of your rental property back for any lawful reason. Common situations include rent arrears where the tenant has fallen behind on payments, anti-social behaviour or a breach of the agreement, wanting to sell, moving back in yourself, or carrying out major works. The notice applies to assured shorthold lets, periodic arrangements, private residential lets, and other residential situations. Even where a tenant appears to have abandoned the property, serving a proper notice keeps you on the right side of the process.

Section 8 or Section 21. Which notice do I give?

Under the Housing Act 1988 there are two main routes. A Section 8 notice is used when the tenant has broken the agreement, for example rent arrears, damage, or nuisance to neighbours; you must state the specific grounds and each one carries its own period and evidence needs. A Section 21 notice is a no-fault route that does not require a reason, but it is only valid where you have protected the deposit, provided gas safety and energy performance certificates, and given the current How to Rent guide. It cannot be served in the first four months of a tenancy. If you are unsure which fits your circumstances, check the grounds and periods carefully before you draft.

Section 8 vs Section 21 at a glance

The quickest way to choose is to compare the two routes side by side.

How much notice do I have to give?

The period depends on the type of tenancy and the grounds. It typically ranges from two weeks for serious rent arrears under certain Section 8 grounds up to two months for a Section 21 route. Traditional Notice to Quit periods for periodic arrangements are usually at least one month or a full period of the tenancy, whichever is longer. Historic notices served during the pandemic had longer periods under temporary rules, so always confirm the current requirement before you serve.

How do I serve the notice?

You can serve it by hand delivery, by recorded or first-class post, or by leaving it at the property. Some landlords also send a copy by email where the agreement allows electronic service, but always keep clear proof such as a certificate of service or proof of posting. If a managing agent handles the property, confirm who is named as landlord on the notice, since service by an agent must be authorised. Getting this right matters because the date of service sets the point from which the period runs. A notice with the wrong dates, missing prescribed information, or an outstanding repair complaint behind it can be found invalid, which delays regaining possession.

What must a valid notice include?

To hold up, a notice usually needs the following:

• The full names of the landlord and every tenant.
• The property address.
• The grounds relied on, where a Section 8 route is used.
• The correct prescribed form, Form 3 for Section 8 or Form 6A for Section 21.
• The date the tenant must leave, calculated from the correct period.
• A record of how and when it was served.

How much does it cost to serve a notice to quit?

Drafting the notice itself costs nothing when you use this free template. The money a landlord spends usually comes later, in court fees if a possession claim becomes necessary and in the time lost when an invalid notice has to be reissued. A clear, correctly served notice keeps those costs down by reducing the risk of a delayed or dismissed claim.

Where to find further guidance and support

Before you serve, it helps to confirm the conditions that make your notice valid for the specific tenancy and grounds you are relying on. Free guidance for tenants and landlords on ending a tenancy is published on the government's Private renting pages, and Shelter and Citizens Advice cover the process in detail. A housing adviser at one of these services can talk you through your situation at no cost if you want to check your facts before serving. Because rules keep changing, with the Renters Reform Bill expected to reshape Section 21 in 2026, check the last-updated date on any source before you rely on it.

Related templates and next steps

Once the tenancy is coming to a close, you may also want to review or refresh your underlying agreement. GenieAI offers a rental agreement template and a lease agreement template for England and Wales, alongside a wider library of legal templates. GenieAI drafts, reviews, and redlines these documents against your own playbook, flagging risk red, amber, or green so you can agree with confidence.