What Is a Periodic Tenancy? What Every Landlord Needs to Know After the Renters' Rights Act

By RentVault Team · Published 2026-07-21 · 3 min read

Since 1 May 2026, periodic tenancies have been the default for all private residential lettings in England.

Since 1 May 2026, periodic tenancies have been the default for all private residential lettings in England. If you let property and you have not fully understood what this means, this guide explains the basics — and the parts that have changed.

What a periodic tenancy is

A periodic tenancy is a tenancy that runs from period to period with no fixed end date. The period is usually a month — a monthly periodic tenancy automatically renews at the end of each month and continues indefinitely until either the landlord or the tenant brings it to an end.

Before the Renters' Rights Act 2025, most tenancies started as fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies — typically for six or twelve months — and then became periodic after the fixed term ended. The fixed term gave both parties certainty about the initial period.

From 1 May 2026, fixed terms are no longer permitted for new assured tenancies. All new tenancies granted from that date must be periodic from the outset. Existing tenancies that were fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies automatically converted to assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026, regardless of when the original fixed term was due to end.

How a periodic tenancy begins

For new tenancies granted from 1 May 2026, the periodic tenancy begins on the date the tenant takes up occupation. There is no fixed term, no tenancy renewal date, and no concept of the tenancy "ending" and needing to be renewed.

The landlord must provide the tenant with certain written information before the tenancy begins — or at the start of the tenancy. This includes the landlord's name and address, the rent amount and payment date, the deposit amount, repair responsibilities, and what bills the tenant is responsible for.

How a periodic tenancy ends

Tenant ending the tenancy. A tenant on a periodic tenancy can end it by giving notice to quit — written notice, usually of one rental period (so one month for a monthly tenancy). The tenant's notice must be in writing. Once given, it can only be withdrawn if the landlord agrees.

Landlord ending the tenancy. A landlord can only end a periodic tenancy by obtaining possession through the courts using a Section 8 notice citing one or more of the statutory grounds for possession. There is no equivalent of the old Section 21 no-fault route.

This is the fundamental change for landlords. Under the old system, a landlord could wait for the fixed term to end and then simply not renew the tenancy. Under the new system, a periodic tenancy continues indefinitely. The landlord must have a reason — and must be able to prove it — to end the tenancy.

Rent in a periodic tenancy

Rent in a periodic tenancy can only be increased once every 52 weeks, using the statutory Section 13 notice process. Contractual rent review clauses are void. The proposed increase must reflect market rent, and the tenant can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal.

What this means in practice

For landlords, the periodic tenancy regime means that your relationship with a good tenant is now open-ended. If you want to sell the property, move in, or need it back for another reason, you need to give the appropriate Section 8 notice with the relevant ground and the correct notice period — typically two to four months depending on the ground.

This places a premium on good tenant selection and thorough record-keeping from the start. If you later need to demonstrate that a tenant has breached the tenancy terms or accumulated arrears, contemporaneous records are what wins cases.