Landlord 90 Day Notice To Vacate Template for England and Wales

A Landlord 90 Day Notice To Vacate is a crucial legal document that allows landlords in England and Wales to formally request possession of their rental property. This notice serves as the foundation for regaining control of your property and must be executed correctly to ensure legal validity under current housing legislation.

When do you need this document?

You need this notice when you want to end an assured shorthold tenancy and regain possession of your property. This applies when fixed-term tenancies have expired and converted to periodic tenancies, or when you wish to end a periodic tenancy during its term. The 90-day notice period is particularly relevant for tenancies that began before October 2015, though recent legislative changes may require longer notice periods in certain circumstances. You might also need this document when selling the property, moving back in yourself, or when major renovations are planned that require vacant possession.

Key legal considerations

Several critical legal requirements must be met for your notice to be valid. First, you must ensure all deposit protection obligations have been fulfilled, including protecting the tenant's deposit in an approved scheme and providing prescribed information within required timeframes. You must also verify that all required certificates are current and have been provided to tenants, including Gas Safety Certificates, Energy Performance Certificates, and the government's "How to Rent" guide. The notice must specify the exact date by which possession is required, and this date cannot be earlier than the end of any fixed term. Additionally, you cannot serve this notice during the first four months of a tenancy, and recent amendments may extend notice periods to six months in certain circumstances.

Legal requirements in England and Wales

Under the Housing Act 1988 and subsequent amendments, your notice must comply with specific formatting and content requirements. The document must be served using Form 6A or contain equivalent information, clearly identifying all parties and the property address. Service methods are strictly regulated - you can serve notice personally, by post to the tenant's last known address, or by leaving it at the property. The Deregulation Act 2015 introduced additional compliance requirements, meaning any failure to protect deposits or provide required documentation can invalidate your notice. Recent changes under the Coronavirus Act and related legislation may also affect notice periods, so you must verify current requirements before serving notice. The notice period begins from the day after service, and possession cannot be sought until this period expires. Keep detailed records of service as you'll need evidence if court proceedings become necessary.