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January 23, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Tenancy Terminations
Periodic tenancies.
Landlords will be able to terminate a periodic tenancy with "no cause" by providing 90 days notice.
Landlords can end a periodic tenancy with 42 days notice if:
- The owner requires the premises as their principal place of residence or for one of their family members within 90 days of the tenancy ending and will remain living in the home for at least 90 days
- there is an unconditional greement for the sale of the premises that requires vacant possession.
- the property is require for occupation by employees or contractors of the landlord or by the contractors. The property must be used or obtained for this purpose and this must be stated in the current tenancy agreement.
Tenants can end their periodic tenancy with 21 days’ notice.
Note: If a termination notice was issued prior to the commencement date by either the landlord or tenant, that notice remains valid and cannot be replaced with a different notice period by that party.
Landlords cannot give notice to end a periodic tenancy in retaliation to the tenants exercising one of their rights. Doing so means the notice may be set aside and exemplary damages can be awarded against the landlord.
Changes coming into effect on 30 January 2025 clarify that this also applies when Tenancy Services takes action and extends the time frame to 12 months for exemplary damages to be sought.
Fixed term tenancies
It will be easier to have fixed term tenancies end on their expiry date. You still need to take action if you want the tenancy to end.
Fixed-term tenancies automatically become periodic tenancies unless:
- a landlord or tenant gives notice to end a fixed-term tenancy between 90 and 21 days before the fixed term ends. No specific reason is required; or
- both tenant and landlord agree on an alternative.
If a tenancy started on or after 11 February 2021 and expires on or before 30 April 2025, the law before these changes will still apply. For fixed term tenancies that expire on or after 1 May 2025, the new law will apply.
For further information and more changes refer to the government website: