Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Team from a report by Property118. Read the original article for full details.
Landlord Seeks Advice on Informal Tenancy and Delaying Formal Notice
A landlord has asked Property118 for advice on an informal tenancy in England, wanting to know whether they can safely wait before serving a formal notice on a property they own. The query concerns a friend and her husband who were allowed to move into the property in February 2026.
The landlord says their understanding was that the arrangement would be very temporary, initially perhaps a short period. The source does not specify how long the occupants have remained, what notice has or has not been served, or what the landlord's current intentions are beyond the question of timing.
The case is a recurring one for letting agents and inventory clerks: informal arrangements where occupants move in without a formal tenancy agreement or prescribed process. Such situations can create uncertainty around the correct legal steps and the right time to serve notice.
For agents and inventory clerks, the query is a reminder that informal tenancy arrangements can raise questions about possession procedures and the risks of delay. The source provides no legal advice or definitive answer to the landlord's question, and includes no response from Property118 or other contributors.
No specific statistics, percentages, or sums are cited in the source. The brief is limited to the facts as reported: a landlord in England allowed a friend and her husband to move into their property in February 2026 on what they understood to be a very temporary basis, and is now seeking advice on whether they can safely wait before serving formal notice.
Source: Property118