Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how the rental period of converted assured periodic tenancies is determined for the purposes of a tenant's notice to quit in cases where rent was paid in advance under the previous tenancy in instalments covering periods other than one month; and whether his Department plans to issue guidance on the basis on which a landlord may (a) set and (b) revise payment dates following the commencement date.

From 1 May, under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, the tenancy and rent periods of an Assured Periodic Tenancy must be the same and cannot be longer than one month.

Where a transferring periodic tenancy was mid-period on 1 May 2026, the tenancy will have transferred across to the new tenancy system, but the new period structure will not apply until the period in progress is completed.

Once transitioned, the tenancy would retain the period length, as long as this was one month or below. If the period length was longer than one month (including irregular periods) the tenancy will automatically change to monthly periods once the period straddling the 1 May has completed.

Tenants can end the tenancy by providing at least two months’ notice and aligning that notice to expire at the end of a period. If the landlord agrees in writing, or if there is a shorter notice period already included in an existing tenancy agreement, then the tenant can give less than two months’ notice.

Under the Act, tenancies with a fixed term that transitioned on 1 May 2026 will now have monthly tenancy periods.

My Department has provided extensive guidance to support landlords and tenants, which can be found on gov.uk here.