Renewing your private tenancy

Your options if you want to stay longer in a private tenancy that’s nearing the end of its fixed term.

Options at the end of a fixed term tenancy

If you agreed to rent your home for a fixed period such as 12 months, you’ll need to decide what you want to do when it ends.

Options for when the tenancy ends are to:

• sign a new fixed-term tenancy (if your landlord agrees)
• stay on and automatically move to a month-to-month tenancy (also known as a periodic or rolling tenancy)
• move out at the end of your contract – you may need to give notice to your landlord

Your landlord has to give you written notice to leave if they don’t want you to stay on.

Sign a new fixed-term tenancy agreement.

Your landlord may offer you a new fixed-term agreement or you can ask for one. If you sign a new fixed term tenancy agreement, you have to pay the rent until the end of the new fixed term.

You can’t end a fixed-term tenancy early unless:

• there’s a break clause in your tenancy agreement that says you can give notice early you and the landlord agree that the tenancy can end early

Your landlord or letting agent may ask you to pay a fee to renew your contract. You can try to negotiate to reduce or cancel this. Some landlords want long term tenants. Consider asking for a longer-term tenancy if you’d like to stay on for 2 years or more.

Stay on with a rolling tenancy

You don’t have to leave when your fixed-term agreement ends. If you stay on and don’t sign a new contract, your tenancy automatically becomes a periodic tenancy. This is also known as a rolling agreement. Periodic tenancies continue rolling on from month to month or from week to week, depending on how often your rent is paid. To end a month-to-month tenancy, you need to give at least 28 days’ or a month’s notice.

Leave at the end of the tenancy

You must end your tenancy correctly if you decide you want to move out at the end of the fixed term.

If your landlord wants you to leave

Your landlord must give you notice if they want you to leave at the end of a fixed term tenancy. If you have an assured shorthold tenancy, you should get at least two months’ written notice. Your landlord will normally use a section 21 notice.

Rent increases

At the end of your fixed term, your landlord can increase the rent if you agree to stay for a further fixed term. If you refuse to accept the rent increase, your landlord can give you notice to leave. Your landlord could rent to another tenant at the higher rent. You can ask your landlord if they’ll accept a lower increase in return for not having to re-let the property.