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How do I give notice that I am leaving?

32 quoted answers, each with its source

The short answer

From 25 November 2025, Victorian rental providers cannot issue a notice to vacate without a valid reason, even at the end of a fixed-term agreement, and notice periods for certain rental provider notices to vacate and rent increases lengthened from 60 to 90 days across rental properties, rooming houses, caravan parks and residential parks. A renter's notice of intention to vacate must be in writing; the usual minimum notice is 28 days, with 14 days or immediate notice allowed in some situations, and more notice is allowed but not less, while leaving early still means rent is owed for the whole notice period. For a fixed-term agreement, the vacate date cannot be before the agreement's end date; an earlier date is breaking the agreement and may mean lease break fees. If a renter ends the lease with a valid reason and the correct notice period, no additional rent or compensation can be demanded, but sources conflict on the form of written notice: Aussie Rent Laws says a clear written notice is sufficient, while Landlord Wise says a letter, email or text message is not valid even with all required information.

Every part of this comes from the quotes below. How we write these.

What the rules actually say23

Quoted straight from Consumer Affairs Victoria, the Residential Tenancies Act or a tribunal.

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Consumer Affairs Victoria states that…

  • the standard amount of notice for a renter to vacate with a valid reason is generally 90 days.
  • in some situations the amount of notice for a renter to vacate with a valid reason can be less than 90 days.
first-party
1 quote from 1 source
Generally, the standard amount of notice that needs to be provided for a renter to vacate with a valid reason is 90 days, but in some situations it can be less. See the list below.
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Consumer Affairs Victoria defines a notice of intention to vacate as a formal statement that the renter wants to end the rental agreement.

first-party
1 quote from 1 source
A notice of intention to vacate is a formal statement that the renter wants to end the rental agreement (lease).
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Consumer Affairs Victoria states that renters must give 28 days notice of intention to vacate if they want to leave at the end of a rental agreement.

first-party
1 quote from 1 source
Renters must give 28 days' notice if they want to leave at the end of a rental agreement (lease).
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Consumer Affairs Victoria states that for fixed term agreements the end date on a notice of intention to vacate cannot be before the end date of the rental agreement.

first-party
1 quote from 1 source
However, for fixed term agreements, the end date on the notice of intention to vacate cannot be before the end date of the rental agreement.
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Consumer Affairs Victoria states that a renter who puts an earlier date than the end of a fixed term agreement…

  • is breaking the agreement.
  • may have to pay lease break fees.
first-party
1 quote from 1 source
If the date is earlier than this, the renter is breaking the agreement and may have to pay lease break fees.
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Consumer Affairs Victoria states that a renter who has given notice must leave by the date on the original notice of intention to vacate unless VCAT has allowed them to stay longer or extend the agreement.

first-party
1 quote from 1 source
If VCAT has not said the renter can stay longer or extend the agreement, the renter must leave by the date on the original notice of intention to vacate.
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Consumer Affairs Victoria states that…

  • a renter may ask to leave without giving a formal notice of intention to vacate.
  • the rental provider does not have to agree to a renter leaving without giving a formal notice of intention to vacate.
first-party
1 quote from 1 source
A renter may ask a rental provider if they can leave without giving them a formal notice of intention to vacate. The rental provider does not have to agree.
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Notice periods for certain notices to vacate in Victoria lengthened from 60 days to 90 days.

first-party
1 quote from 1 source
notice periods for rent increases and certain notices to vacate have lengthened from 60 days to 90 days. This applies to all rental properties, rooming houses, caravan parks and residential parks
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Consumer Affairs Victoria states rental providers must give a renter 90 days notice of…

  • a rent increase.
  • certain notices to vacate.
first-party
1 quote from 1 source
Rental providers must give a renter 90 days' notice of a rent increase and certain notices to vacate.
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Tenants Victoria states that the minimum notice period a renter must give for a notice of intention to vacate…

  • is usually 28 days.
  • can sometimes be 14 days or immediate.
1 quote from 1 source
The minimum amount of warning (called a notice period) is usually 28 days but can sometimes be 14 days, or even immediately (although this rarely happens).
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A renter who moves out before the end of the minimum notice period remains responsible for rent for the entire notice period.

1 quote from 1 source
You can also move out before the end of the minimum notice period, but you will still be responsible for the rent for the entire time.
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Tenants Victoria states a renter can give 14 days notice where the landlord has…

  • repeatedly failed to carry out certain duties.
  • failed to follow a VCAT compliance or compensation order.
1 quote from 1 source
You can give a notice period of 14 days if the landlord has repeatedly failed to carry out certain duties under the law or failed to follow a VCAT compliance or compensation order.
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Tenants Victoria states that a renter who ends a lease with a valid reason and the correct notice period cannot be asked to pay…

  • rent beyond the end of the notice period.
  • compensation to the landlord.
1 quote from 1 source
If you end your lease (officially called the rental agreement) with a valid reason and notice to vacate that has the correct amount of advanced warning, you cannot be asked to pay any additional rent beyond the end of the notice period or asked to pay costs (compensation) to the landlord (officially called the rental provider).

Practical effect1

What is observed to happen in practice, as distinct from what is documented.

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Tenants Victoria reports that the majority of tenancy matters are resolved quickly after the intervention of an advocate.

medium confidence
1 quote from 1 source
The majority of tenancy matters are resolved quickly after the intervention of an advocate.

Changed on2

A dated change. This is where advice quietly stops being true.

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From 25 November 2025 rental providers in Victoria cannot issue a renter with a notice to vacate without a valid reason, even at the end of a fixed-term agreement.

first-partyvendor
3 quotes from 3 sources
Rental providers cannot issue a renter with a notice to vacate without a valid reason, even at the end of a fixed-term agreement.
no-fault evictions are banned, so rental providers must have a valid reason to ask a renter to move out. Even at the end of a fixed-term rental agreement
Since 25 November 2025, rental providers cannot issue a notice to vacate without a valid reason — even at the end of a fixed-term agreement
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Notice periods for rent increases in Victoria lengthened from 60 days to 90 days.

first-party
1 quote from 1 source
notice periods for rent increases and certain notices to vacate have lengthened from 60 days to 90 days. This applies to all rental properties, rooming houses, caravan parks and residential parks

Disputed between sources1

Sources that do not agree, presented without picking a winner.

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The Real Estate Institute of Victoria describes the increase in notice of intention to vacate terms to 90 days as a likely deterrent to rental providers.

first-partyvendor
2 quotes from 2 sources
Of the measures in the Consumer and Planning Legislation Amendment (Housing Statement Reform Bill) introduced into the Victorian Parliament today, the REIV warns some are likely to create further deterrents to rental providers in an already challenging market. These include an expansion of factors that can be considered by Consumer Affairs Victoria and VCAT in rent reviews, removal of no-fault evictions, and increases in notice to vacate terms to 90 days.
Rental providers must give a renter 90 days' notice of a rent increase and certain notices to vacate. This gives renters more time to budget or move.

Often said, but we could not find it in the rules5

Lots of people say this. We went looking for an official source that backs it up and could not find one, so treat it as something people repeat rather than something settled.

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Before the November 2025 reforms, rental providers could issue a 'no reason' notice to vacate at the end of a fixed-term agreement under sections 91ZZD and 91ZZDA of the Act.

medium confidencevendor
1 quote from 1 source
Before the November 2025 reforms, rental providers could issue a “no reason” notice to vacate at the end of a fixed-term agreement under sections 91ZZD and 91ZZDA of the Act.
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Landlord Wise states the minimum notice period for a mortgagee notice to vacate is 60 days.

medium confidencevendor
1 quote from 1 source
The minimum notice period for a mortgagee notice is 60 days.
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Landlord Wise states that a letter, email or text message is not a valid notice of intention to vacate in Victoria even if it contains all the required information.

medium confidencevendor
1 quote from 1 source
A letter, email, or text message is not a valid notice to vacate, even if it contains all the required information.
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Aussie Rent Laws states that the standard notice of intention to vacate for most tenants in Victoria is 28 days for periodic tenancies.

medium confidencevendor
1 quote from 1 source
The standard notice for most tenants in Victoria is 28 days for periodic tenancies, but fixed-term agreements and special situations (for example, ending due to family violence or breach) may alter the timeframe.
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Aussie Rent Laws states there is no single prescribed government form for a tenant's Notice of Intention to Vacate in Victoria.

medium confidencevendor
1 quote from 1 source
There is no single prescribed government form for a tenant’s Notice of Intention to Vacate in Victoria. A clear written notice including your details, the property address and the vacate date is sufficient; templates and guidance are available from Consumer Affairs Victoria.