Sixty Day Notice To Quit Template for England and Wales

A Sixty Day Notice to Quit is a formal legal document that landlords use to terminate tenancy agreements and request vacant possession of their property in England and Wales. This notice serves as the first step in the legal process of regaining possession and must be drafted and served according to strict statutory requirements to ensure its validity in court proceedings.

When do you need this document?

You need a Sixty Day Notice to Quit when you want to end a tenancy agreement and regain possession of your rental property. This applies particularly to assured shorthold tenancies where the fixed term has expired, periodic tenancies that you wish to terminate, or situations where you need the property back for personal use or sale. The notice is also required when converting rental properties to different uses or when major renovations are planned that require vacant possession. Unlike notices served for breach of tenancy terms, this notice can be served without requiring any wrongdoing by the tenant.

Key legal considerations

Several critical legal requirements must be met for your notice to be valid and enforceable. The notice must be served using the prescribed form and include accurate details of all parties, the property address, and a clear termination date that provides at least 60 days from service. You must ensure that all prerequisite conditions are met, including providing the tenant with required documentation such as gas safety certificates, energy performance certificates, and the How to Rent guide. The notice cannot take effect during the first four months of the tenancy, and you must not have accepted rent after serving the notice. Additionally, if you have used a deposit protection scheme, you must have complied with all deposit protection requirements before serving the notice.

Legal requirements in England and Wales

Under England and Wales law, specifically the Housing Act 1988 and the Deregulation Act 2015, strict procedural requirements govern the service of possession notices. The notice must be served in writing and can be delivered personally to the tenant, left at the property, or sent by post to the tenant's last known address. You must use the correct prescribed form as specified in the Assured Tenancies and Agricultural Occupancies (Forms) Regulations 2015. The notice period must be calculated correctly, giving at least two months from the date of service, and the termination date must not be earlier than the date on which the tenancy could be brought to an end by notice to quit given by the tenant. If these requirements are not met precisely, the notice may be invalid and proceedings for possession could fail, potentially resulting in significant delays and legal costs.