In short
In England, since 1 May 2026 most private tenancies are assured periodic tenancies with no end date, and section 21 no-fault evictions are no longer available. A landlord must use section 8 and a legal ground, with notice usually of 4 months. In Scotland, a private residential tenancy has no end date and the landlord needs one of 18 eviction grounds. Notice is generally 84 days after six months' occupation, and the landlord still needs a First-tier Tribunal order if the tenant stays. In Wales, private renters hold an occupation contract, and a landlord can end a standard contract without a ground by giving at least 6 months' no-fault notice, which cannot be served in the first six months. The landlord must have met obligations such as Rent Smart Wales registration and deposit rules. In Northern Ireland, a landlord ends a private tenancy by notice to quit of 4 weeks (tenancy up to 12 months), 8 weeks (up to 10 years) or 12 weeks (over 10 years). The guide lists no grounds the landlord must show, and a fixed-term tenancy can end without a notice to quit. No-fault eviction: 2 of 4 nations (Wales and Northern Ireland).
The table
| Nation | Tenancy type | No-fault eviction | Landlord notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Assured periodic tenancy (no end date) since 1 May 2026 | No | Section 8 notice with a legal ground; usually 4 months, shorter for some grounds (e.g. 4 weeks for mandatory rent arrears of at least three months) |
| Scotland | Private residential tenancy (PRT), open-ended | No | Notice to leave stating one of 18 grounds; 84 days after six months' occupation, 28 days if six months or less or for some grounds; eviction order from the First-tier Tribunal needed |
| Wales | Occupation contract (standard contract in the private sector, periodic or fixed term) | Yes | No-fault notice of at least 6 months, not in the first 6 months and only if the landlord met its obligations (e.g. Rent Smart Wales registration, deposit rules); at least 1 month for breach |
| Northern Ireland | Private tenancy under the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (fixed term; six-month tenancy period if none agreed) | Yes | Notice to quit: 4 weeks (tenancy up to 12 months), 8 weeks (over 12 months up to 10 years), 12 weeks (over 10 years) |
“—” means the guide does not state it. Download the data: tenancy-regime.json (CC BY 4.0, cite Payotte with a link).
- Wales: Marked 'yes' because a no-fault notice exists, though it is conditioned (6 months, obligations met).
- Northern Ireland: Guide names no tenancy-type label and never states explicitly that no ground is needed; 'yes' inferred from the notice-to-quit rules. Longer landlord periods are in the Act but not in force.
Other tables by nation
Sources
- England: Guide to the Renters' Rights Act (GOV.UK)
- England: Renters' Rights Act overview for tenants (GOV.UK)
- Scotland: Private residential tenancy: information for tenants (gov.scot)
- Scotland: Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016, section 54 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Wales: Tenants: housing law has changed (Renting Homes) (gov.wales)
- Wales: Standard occupation contracts: guidance (gov.wales)
- Northern Ireland: Private rent and tenancies (nidirect)
- Northern Ireland: Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department for Communities)