Break clauses no longer apply to new residential tenancies in England. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (in force 1 May 2026) ended fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies. All tenancies are now periodic assured tenancies with no fixed term — tenants can give 2 months' notice to end the tenancy at any time, so a contractual break clause is no longer needed.
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Read our full Renters' Rights Act 2025 guide
A plain-English overview of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — what changed on 1 May 2026, the end of fixed-term tenancies and break clauses, the new tenant notice rules, and the reshaped Section 8 grounds.
Looking for a commercial break clause notice?
Commercial leases are not affected by the Renters' Rights Act. Our Commercial Break Clause Notice checklist (Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 framework) is still available.
Before 1 May 2026, most private residential tenancies in England were assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) with a fixed term. A break clause allowed either party to end the tenancy early on notice during that fixed term.
Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, fixed-term ASTs were abolished. Existing ASTs were converted to periodic assured tenancies on 1 May 2026, and all new lets are periodic from the start. Because there is no longer a fixed term to break out of, a residential break clause has no practical effect:
• Tenants can give 2 months' notice in writing to end the tenancy at any time.
• Landlords can only seek possession using Section 8 with a valid ground under the expanded Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988 — this includes a 12-month protected period from the start of the tenancy for Ground 1 (landlord moving in) and Ground 1A (selling).
For the full set of changes, see our Renters' Rights Act 2025 guide.
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