Section 21 valid date confusion?

Section 21 valid date confusion?

10:37 AM, 27th May 2022, About 2 years ago 13

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Can someone please help me to clarify a valid date to end a tenancy in section 21?

I have a standard AST tenancy which was created in 2013 for initial 12 months and then becomes a periodic tenancy. The tenancy starts on the 21st and ends on the 20th of next month. Two questions:

(1) I gave notice to the tenant at 1pm on 21st May to end the tenancy on 20 July, is this notice valid? I am not sure, as the date I served the notice was only half day, it was not clear 2 months notice?

(2) Can I just give the tenant a straight two months notice, but not end on a particular day, e.g. I serve a 2 months “notice to quit” to the tenant on 27 May (let’s assume I hand deliver to the tenant on the same day) and ask the tenant to move out after 28 July (giving tenant clear 2 months notice from 29th May to 28 July)? will this notice be valid? Or does the notice have to end on the 20th of the month? I heard about the “Spencer v. Taylor” case, but I am not sure about it.

Thank you in advance

Henry


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Comments

Tim Tolhurst

17:23 PM, 29th May 2022, About 2 years ago

thank you everyone. I will re serve section 21.

SCP

18:28 PM, 29th May 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Tim Tolhurst at 29/05/2022 - 17:23
I used to serve a s.21 Notice a day after the AST was executed, and had the Tenant acknowledge it. It was legal then.
I have never served a s.21 notice in anger, and so have no practical experience.
I read somewhere that you first enter what you think is the correct date and then ex cautella abundanti add what appears at first glance gobbledygook but these words will cure any defect. I have spent some time unearthing them for you. I think you should use them. Cannot do you any harm. The magic formula is:
[date], or if this notice would otherwise be ineffective, after a date which is the earliest date, being no earlier than two months after the date of service upon you of this notice, when a period of your tenancy ends.

Susan Bradley

13:32 PM, 30th May 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mark Crampton Smith at 28/05/2022 - 09:01
Could I ask please are you a solicitor/ barrister? I have never heard of this before that the prescribed info has to be sent out before a rent increase. I have just done that at the start of the AST and then when it goes onto a statutory periodic. Just about to do some rent increases so want to get it right and can’t find any confirmation on the matter on the internet.

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