Minimum eviction notice periods cut from six months to four from 1st June for most renters in England, the government has announced.

From today (Tuesday 1st June 2021), eviction notice periods - previously extended to six months during much of the pandemic in 2020 - will reduce to four months, and if the roadmap out of lockdown continues as planned, notice periods will return to just two months from October 1.

The ban on evictions was put in place in March last year to protect tenants who fell into arrears as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

READ UPDATED GUIDANCE FOR LANDLORDS AND TENANTS ISSUES BY THE GOVERNMENT HERE

To summarise the changes in legislation that have come into place.

In England: 

• Notice periods must be at least 4 months in most circumstances, including in cases where there are less than 4 months’ of unpaid rent.
• There are exemptions for the most serious cases including anti-social behaviour, no right to rent and fraud.
• Notice periods for cases where there are less than 4 months of unpaid rent, will reduce to 22 months’ notice from 1 August.

In Wales

If your landlord gave you notice from the 26 March to 23 July 2020, the notice period must be at least 3 months. If your landlord served or serves you notice on or after 24 July 2020 until at least 30 June 2021, the notice period must be at least 6 months, other than for grounds requiring possession relating to anti-social behaviour which remained at 3 months until 28 September but have subsequently returned to their pre-Coronavirus Act 2020 lengths of one month or less, depending on the type of tenancy and ground used.