Your rights
Section 48 notice: your landlord’s address for notices
Your landlord must give you an address in England and Wales where you can send them notices. That is section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987. Until they do, your rent is treated as not due. It isn’t a reason to stop paying: the rent becomes due again as soon as the address is given.
England · Checked against legislation.gov.uk on 27 October 2026 · Independent
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Check a property freeWhat is a section 48 notice?
A notice from your landlord giving you an address in England and Wales where you can serve notices on them, including court papers. Section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 requires it. It can be the landlord’s own address or someone else’s, such as a letting agent’s, as long as it is in England and Wales.
What happens if my landlord hasn’t given one?
Until they do, any rent, service charge or administration charge is treated as not being due. That doesn’t make the home rent-free. As soon as the landlord gives the address, the rent becomes due again, including what built up before. Keep paying, or at least keep the money aside, and ask for the address in writing.
Does it have to be a separate notice?
No form is set out in the Act. Courts have accepted an address in England and Wales written in the tenancy agreement, and in some cases a letting agent’s address, as enough. If your agreement gives one, your landlord has probably complied.
What is a section 47 notice?
Section 47 is about demands. Any written demand for rent or other money due under the tenancy must give the landlord’s name and address and, if that address is outside England and Wales, an address in England and Wales for notices. If a demand leaves these out, only the service charge or administration charge in it is treated as not due until the landlord gives the details by notice. The rent itself still is.
My landlord lives abroad. Does this still apply?
Yes, and it matters most then. A landlord who lives abroad, or a company registered outside the UK, still has to give you an address in England and Wales. Without one, a claim about your deposit or repairs is much harder to serve.
Can it stop an eviction for rent arrears?
It can delay one. Rent that is treated as not due can’t be counted as arrears while the landlord hasn’t complied. But the landlord can comply at any time, even during court proceedings, and the rent is then due at once. If you face a possession claim, get advice from Shelter or Citizens Advice before relying on it.
Who does it apply to?
Tenants of a home in England, and in Wales unless the home is let under an occupation contract. It doesn’t apply to business tenancies, and it is suspended while a court or tribunal has appointed a receiver or manager to collect the rent.
How to ask for the address
Check your tenancy agreement first: an address in England and Wales for the landlord or the agent is usually there. If it isn’t, ask in writing, by email or letter, and keep a copy. Something like:
Please give me an address in England and Wales at which I can serve notices on my landlord, including notices in proceedings, as section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 requires. Address of the home: [address] Tenant: [your name]
If you don’t know who your landlord is at all, you have a separate right to be told their name and address within 21 days of asking the agent or whoever collects the rent. How to find the landlord of a property explains that request.
Why the address matters
- It is where you send letters about repairs or your deposit, and a notice ending the tenancy.
- It is where court or tribunal papers go if you need to claim your deposit back or apply for a rent repayment order.
- Without it, a landlord abroad or a company registered overseas can be hard to reach at all.
Check who owns the home before you sign
RenterCheck’s ownership check reads HM Land Registry data for the address. It names a company owner and checks it on Companies House, and flags one that is dissolved, insolvent or registered outside the UK. If the owner is abroad, make sure the agreement gives an address in England where you can send notices. How to find out who owns a property covers what you can check for free.
Where this comes from
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 on legislation.gov.uk: section 46 (which homes it covers), section 47 (what a demand must contain) and section 48 (the address for notices).
This guide covers common private tenancies in England and is general information, not legal advice. Different rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to lodgers, social housing and some specialist accommodation. RenterCheck is independent and not connected with any landlord, agent or court.
Check the landlord
Check who owns the home before you pay anything.
Complete RenterCheck shows who owns the home on HM Land Registry records, and flags a company owner that is dissolved, insolvent or registered outside the UK, before you sign. The free check covers its energy rating, flood risk and crime.