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Short answer: a notice to vacate is a short written letter that says who is leaving, from which room or bed, and on which date. In most PGs the notice period is 15 days to one month, and whatever your agreement says is what counts. If there is no written agreement, the Transfer of Property Act treats a monthly residential tenancy as month to month, ending on 15 days’ written notice from either side.
Below are three copy-ready formats (tenant to owner, owner to tenant, and WhatsApp), then notice periods, the Model Tenancy Act 2021, tenants who vanish, and a clean checkout.
What every notice to vacate should include
- Names of the tenant and the owner or PG, with the PG name and address.
- Room and bed number, so there is no confusion in a shared room.
- Date of the notice and the last day of stay. Count the notice period from the date the other side receives it.
- A reference to the agreement (date and notice clause), if there is one.
- Deposit details: amount paid, and the bank account or UPI ID for the refund.
- A signature, or for a WhatsApp or email notice, a clear message from the person’s own number or address.
Keep a copy: a signed copy, an email or a delivered WhatsApp message is your proof of the date.
Format 1: Tenant to PG owner or landlord
Replace everything in [square brackets]. It works for a PG bed, a hostel room or a rented room.
Date: [DD Month YYYY]
To,
[Owner’s name]
[PG name]
[PG address]
Subject: Notice to vacate room [room no.], bed [bed no.]
Dear [Sir/Madam],
I, [your full name], have been staying in room [room no.], bed [bed no.] at [PG name] since [joining date] under the agreement dated [agreement date].
As required by the notice clause of the agreement / house rules, I am giving [number] days’ notice that I will vacate the room on [last day of stay]. I will pay rent up to that date and clear any electricity or other dues before leaving.
I paid a security deposit of ₹[amount] on [date]. Please refund it, after any deductions allowed under the agreement, to:
Account name: [name] · Account no.: [number] · IFSC: [code]
or UPI ID: [upi id]
I am happy to do a joint room inspection on [date/time] and will return [keys / access card / other items] at checkout.
Please acknowledge this notice.
Thank you,
[Your name]
[Phone number]
[Signature]
Leaving inside a lock-in? Say so and ask how the agreement handles it. Usually rent for the unserved period is deducted from the deposit.
Format 2: Owner to tenant (ending the stay or unpaid rent)
Use 2a to end a stay normally and 2b when rent is unpaid. Keep the tone factual. Threats only help the other side in a dispute.
2a. Ending the stay
Date: [DD Month YYYY]
To,
[Tenant’s name]
Room [room no.], bed [bed no.], [PG name], [address]
Subject: Notice to vacate
Dear [Tenant’s name],
This is to inform you that your stay at [PG name] under the agreement dated [agreement date] will end on [last day of stay]. This gives you [number] days’ notice, as required by clause [clause no.] of the agreement [or: as required by law].
Reason: [term ending on (date) / renovation of the floor / other reason].
Please vacate the room and return [keys / access card] by [time] on that date. Rent is payable up to the last day of stay. We will do a joint room inspection on [date/time] and settle your security deposit of ₹[amount] after deducting any unpaid rent, bills or damage beyond normal wear and tear, within [number] days of checkout.
For any questions, contact [manager name, phone].
Regards,
[Owner’s name]
[PG name]
[Signature]
2b. Unpaid rent
Date: [DD Month YYYY]
To,
[Tenant’s name]
Room [room no.], bed [bed no.], [PG name], [address]
Subject: Notice for unpaid rent and to vacate
Dear [Tenant’s name],
As per our records, rent of ₹[amount] for [months] is unpaid, along with [electricity / other charges] of ₹[amount]. The total due as of today is ₹[total]. Reminders were sent on [dates].
Please pay the full amount by [date]. If it is not paid by then, your stay will end and you are requested to vacate the room by [last day of stay], which is [number] days from this notice, as allowed under clause [clause no.] of the agreement dated [agreement date].
Any amount still due at checkout will be adjusted against your security deposit of ₹[amount] as per the agreement. If the deposit does not cover it, the balance remains payable.
Regards,
[Owner’s name]
[PG name]
[Signature]
Do not lock out a tenant, cut off water or power, or move their belongings to force them out. Even after a stay has ended, an occupant is generally entitled to a reasonable time to leave and remove their things (for a licence, see Section 63 of the Indian Easements Act). If someone simply refuses to go, take legal advice.
Format 3: Short WhatsApp version
Many PGs accept notice on WhatsApp. It is fine as long as your agreement or house rules allow it, the message is clear, and it comes from the tenant’s registered number. Ask the owner to reply with an acknowledgement.
Tenant:
Hi [Owner name], this is [your name], room [room no.] bed [bed no.]. I’m giving my [number]-day notice: my last day at [PG name] will be [date]. Rent will be paid up to that date. Please refund my deposit of ₹[amount] to UPI [upi id] after checkout. Can we do the room check on [date/time]? Thanks.
Owner’s reply:
Noted, [tenant name]. Your last day is [date]. Room check on [date/time]. Please clear dues of ₹[amount] (if any) before checkout. Deposit will be settled within [number] days of checkout.
What notice period is normal?
| Arrangement | Usual notice | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| PG / hostel bed, monthly rent | 15 days to 1 month, sometimes with a 1–3 month lock-in | Your PG agreement or house rules |
| 11-month rental agreement (flat or room) | 1 month is most common; 2–3 months in some agreements | The notice and lock-in clauses of the agreement |
| Monthly tenancy with no written agreement | 15 days’ written notice from either side | Section 106, Transfer of Property Act (unless local law or usage differs) |
| State rent control or tenancy law applies | Varies | Your state’s Act, which may also limit when an owner can evict |
Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act (as amended in 2002) says a lease for a purpose other than agriculture or manufacturing is, unless a contract, local law or usage says otherwise, a month-to-month lease ending on 15 days’ notice. The notice must be in writing and signed, and delivered by post, by hand, or fixed on the property.
Put the notice period and lock-in in a signed agreement. Our free PG agreement generator and rent agreement format both have notice and deposit clauses, and our guide to stamp duty and registration explains why most agreements are for 11 months.
What the Model Tenancy Act 2021 says, and where it applies
The Union Cabinet approved the Model Tenancy Act on 2 June 2021, and it was sent to the states and UTs for adoption. Landlord–tenant relations are a state subject, so the Act is a model only. It binds no one until a state or UT passes its own law based on it. Its main rules:
- Written agreement for every tenancy, and the Rent Authority must be told about it within two months.
- Security deposit capped at two months’ rent for residential premises (six months for non-residential), and refunded when the landlord takes back vacant possession, after deducting the tenant’s dues.
- Landlord entry only after at least 24 hours’ notice, and not between sunset and sunrise, except in emergencies.
- Eviction only on listed grounds through the Rent Court. The grounds include refusing to pay the agreed rent, rent unpaid for two consecutive months, subletting without written consent, and misuse after written notice. They also include the case where the tenant gave written notice to vacate and the landlord acted on it, for example by agreeing to sell.
- Overstay after the tenancy ends: twice the monthly rent for the first two months, then four times the monthly rent.
Which states have adopted it?
Adoption is partial. In a Lok Sabha answer in December 2023, the Housing Ministry said Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Assam had notified revised tenancy laws. Assam passed its Tenancy Act in 2021. Tamil Nadu’s Act dates from 2017, and later reporting of a 2025 ministry reply says Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand had laws based on an earlier draft and were asked to align them. Arunachal Pradesh notified a Tenancy Act modelled on the 2021 law in November 2022, though local reports say it is still being put into effect. The Union Cabinet also approved tenancy regulations for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep in October 2023.
Everywhere else, your agreement, the Transfer of Property Act and any state rent control law still decide notice and eviction. Ignore viral posts about “new national rent rules”. Our PG legal compliance guide covers the other registrations a PG needs.
When a tenant leaves without notice
A resident goes home for the weekend and never returns. Here is what to do:
- Try to reach them by call and WhatsApp, and keep a record.
- Do not throw out belongings right away. Make a list with photos and a witness, store the items, and send a message giving a date to collect them.
- Work out what is owed under the agreement: rent up to the date they left, plus rent for the notice period they skipped if the agreement says so, plus unpaid bills and documented damage.
- Adjust it from the deposit only as the agreement allows, and send the tenant a written statement showing the deposit, each deduction and the balance. If the dues are more than the deposit, the balance is a debt you can ask for. If there is money left, refund it.
A clear notice clause is your best protection here, for example: “If a resident leaves without [number] days’ notice, rent for the notice period will be deducted from the deposit.” See our security deposit rules guide for fair deduction practices.
How to handle the checkout
- Confirm the last day in writing as soon as notice is given, and mark the bed as available from that date so you can start showing it.
- Share the dues early. A week before checkout, send a statement of rent, electricity and other charges up to the last day.
- Do a joint room inspection on the last day with the tenant present. Take photos, check fittings against the move-in inventory, and note the meter reading.
- Collect keys, access cards and PG items.
- Settle the deposit. Deduct only what the agreement allows: unpaid rent, unpaid bills, and damage beyond normal wear and tear. Under the Model Tenancy Act the refund is due when vacant possession is handed back. Elsewhere follow your agreement, and 7–15 days is a common, fair timeline that leaves time for a final electricity bill.
- Give receipts for the final rent payment and for the deposit refund, showing each deduction. Our free rent receipt generator works for one-off receipts.
In My PG Manager, you mark a tenant as on notice with their last day, so you can see upcoming vacancies at a glance. At checkout the app shows the tenant’s outstanding dues, and it will not mark them as left while dues are still open, unless you adjust the amount from their tracked deposit or write it off. Every payment goes out as a WhatsApp receipt, so the tenant has a record too.
Frequently asked questions
How many days’ notice should I give to leave a PG?
Whatever your PG agreement or house rules say, usually 15 days to one month. If there is no written agreement and you pay monthly, 15 days’ written notice is the legal default under Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act.
Is a WhatsApp message valid as a notice to vacate?
Section 106 asks for written, signed notice. Many agreements now accept notice by WhatsApp or email, and a delivered message from your own number is good evidence. To be safe, check the agreement and ask for a reply confirming your last day.
Can the PG owner keep my whole deposit if I leave early?
Only if the agreement says so. Usually the owner can deduct rent for the unserved notice period or lock-in, plus unpaid dues and damage, and should refund the rest with a statement of deductions.
h3>Can I evict a PG tenant for not paying rent?You can end the stay as the agreement allows, after written notice. Under the Model Tenancy Act, rent unpaid for two consecutive months is a ground for eviction through the Rent Court. Do not use force or cut off utilities. If the tenant refuses to leave, take legal advice.
Want notice dates, dues and deposits in one place instead of a notebook? Try My PG Manager free for 14 days. After the trial it costs ₹159 a month.
Sources
- Transfer of Property Act, 1882, s.106 (as substituted in 2002), via Vidhi Judicial.
- Model Tenancy Act, 2021: PRS India summary; section-wise analysis (s.11 deposit, s.17 entry, s.21 eviction grounds, s.23 overstay) by King Stubb & Kasiva.
- States with revised tenancy laws: Lok Sabha Starred Question 77, 7 December 2023, via eParlib; circulation to states, Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 1866, 9 December 2021, via eParlib.
- Arunachal Pradesh Tenancy Act, 2022 (Act 17 of 2022), via PRS India.
- Tenancy regulations for three UTs, Cabinet decision of October 2023, via GKToday.
- Indian Easements Act, 1882, ss.52–64 (licences, including reasonable time to leave), via Vidhi Judicial.
Last reviewed: October 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Notice periods, deposit rules and eviction procedures depend on your agreement and your state’s law. Speak to a lawyer for a specific dispute.
We build My PG Manager, the app PG and hostel owners use for rooms, tenants, rent collection and WhatsApp reminders. Our guides come from running it with owners across India.
