Quit Notice Rules in Lagos: Notice Periods by Tenancy Type

TL;DR: Under Section 13 of the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011, if your tenancy agreement says nothing about notice, a yearly tenant gets six months' notice to quit, a monthly tenant gets one month, and a weekly tenant gets one week. If your agreement sets its own notice period, that clause usually governs. Forced eviction without a court order is illegal — this post is general information, not legal advice.

A tenant in Ogudu once called me in a panic. His landlord had taped a note to his gate: "Quit in 14 days."

He paid rent yearly. Fourteen days was not the law, and the landlord could not enforce it by changing the locks. Here is how quit notices actually work in Lagos, so you know whether the notice in your hand is valid.

First rule: read your tenancy agreement

The statutory periods below apply only where the tenancy agreement is silent on notice. Section 13 of the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011 expressly allows landlord and tenant to agree their own notice period, and that agreement binds both sides.

So a yearly tenant whose signed agreement says "either party may terminate on three months' written notice" should expect three months, not six. I tell every tenant the same thing: find the termination clause before you argue with your landlord. If you are a landlord, draft that clause deliberately, because you will be held to it.

Notice must also be mutual in approach. An agreement that gives the landlord a very short right to terminate while demanding a long notice from the tenant is a red flag worth challenging with a lawyer before you sign.

Statutory notice periods (agreement silent)

Where there is no contrary provision in the agreement, Section 13 fixes these minimums:

• Tenant at will: one week's notice
• Weekly tenancy: one week's notice
• Monthly tenancy: one month's notice
• Quarterly tenancy: three months' notice
• Half-yearly tenancy: three months' notice
• Yearly tenancy: six months' notice

The type of tenancy is generally determined by how rent is paid or demanded. Most Lagos flat rentals are yearly tenancies because rent is paid annually, even though many tenancy agreements are written for an initial term of one year.

That matters. A one-month quit notice served on a yearly tenant whose agreement has no notice clause is defective on its face. It does not become valid because the landlord is in a hurry to renovate or move a relative in.

Fixed-term tenancies are different

If you signed for a defined period — say, one year certain with a clear start and end date — the tenancy ends by effluxion of time when that term expires. There may be no need for a quit notice to end it, depending on the wording of the agreement.

What catches people out is what happens next. If the term has expired and the tenant stays on, the landlord who wants possession must serve a seven days' written notice of intention to apply to recover possession before filing in court. That seven-day notice is not a quit notice. It comes after the tenancy has already been determined.

Do not confuse the two. Serving only a seven-day notice on a periodic yearly tenant who is still within his tenancy will not end the tenancy lawfully.

How a quit notice must be served

A correct period served the wrong way still creates problems. Under the Lagos Tenancy Law, notices for residential premises are properly served by:

• Personal delivery to the tenant;
• Delivery to an adult residing at the premises;
• Courier delivery to the premises with proof of delivery; or
• Affixing the notice on a conspicuous part of the premises with corroborative proof of service.

For business premises, service can be to a person at the premises or by affixing the notice conspicuously with proof.

Keep evidence: a signed copy, a courier slip, a dated photograph of the affixed notice showing the property. In a recovery case, landlords lose time arguing about service they cannot prove.

Verbal notice — "my landlord told me at the gate meeting" — is not a substitute for written notice where the law requires writing.

What makes a quit notice invalid?

From cases landlords bring to me after the fact, the usual defects are:

• Too short a period for the type of tenancy;
• Ignoring a notice clause already in the signed agreement;
• Wrong service, with no proof;
• Trying to use a quit notice as a shortcut during a fixed term that has not expired and has no break clause.

An invalid notice does not end the tenancy. The landlord has to start again with a proper notice, which is why getting it right first time is cheaper than arguing in court.

What a landlord cannot do

The law prohibits self-help eviction in Lagos. Changing locks, removing doors or roofing, cutting off water or electricity, or throwing out a tenant's belongings to force them out is illegal, even if rent is owed. Recovery must go through the court process, and only a court order, executed by court officials, can lawfully remove a tenant who refuses to leave.

I understand landlord frustration when rent is unpaid. I also tell landlords plainly: self-help creates liability and can wreck an otherwise good recovery claim. Follow the notice sequence, then file.

And tenants: a valid quit notice is not optional to ignore. When it expires, your landlord can move to the next step. If you need more time, negotiate in writing early or get legal advice — do not wait for a court summons.

Frequently asked questions

How many months quit notice for a yearly tenant in Lagos?

Six months, where the tenancy agreement does not set a different period. That is Section 13 of the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011. If your agreement states a shorter or longer notice period, that agreement generally applies instead.

Can my landlord give me one month quit notice if I pay yearly?

Not under the statutory default. A yearly tenant is entitled to six months unless the signed tenancy agreement provides otherwise. A one-month notice to a yearly tenant with a silent agreement is defective. Show the notice and your agreement to a lawyer promptly.

Does a quit notice mean I must leave immediately?

No. A quit notice ends the tenancy only at the expiry of the notice period stated, and it must be the correct period. Even after it expires, your landlord cannot force you out without a court order. You should not ignore it, though — get advice and plan your move or your defence.

What happens after a quit notice expires in Lagos?

If you do not vacate, the landlord should serve a seven days' notice of intention to apply to recover possession, then file a claim in the Magistrates' Court or High Court for the area. Only the court can order possession and have it enforced by its bailiffs.

Can a landlord increase rent and give quit notice at the same time?

Rent increase and termination are separate issues, each governed by your agreement and the Tenancy Law. A landlord must still use a valid notice period to end the tenancy. If you receive both together, check the dates and clauses carefully with a lawyer before responding.

Related reading

• Tenancy Agreement in Lagos: Clauses You Must Not Skip
• Lagos Tenancy Law: What Every Tenant & Landlord Must Know (2026)
• How to Evict a Tenant in Lagos: Legal Process (2026)
• Regularization & Ratification: Fixing Imperfect Title in Lagos