TradedocSection 8 notice
A blank Form 3 (the new statutory possession notice under the Renters' Rights Act 2025) you can print and serve by hand. Or the faster option, fill it on the phone, ground numbers preset, signed copy in the tenant's inbox same day. Tracks Housing Act 1988 s.8 with the 2025 Schedule 2 amendments.
No card required. Cancel anytime.
What it is
The statutory notice a landlord serves to seek possession of an assured tenancy on one or more grounds in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988. With Section 21 abolished from 1 May 2026 by the Renters' Rights Act 2025, Section 8 is now the only route to possession on an assured tenancy. The notice must use the new Form 3 prescribed by the Act, must specify each ground relied upon with the supporting facts, and must state the earliest date on which possession proceedings will be issued.
UK legal requirement
Housing Act 1988 s.8 plus Schedule 2 (grounds for possession), as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (new Form 3, expanded mandatory grounds, varied notice periods per ground). Mandatory grounds where the court must order possession: rent arrears (Ground 8, two months in arrears at notice and at hearing), serious anti-social behaviour (Ground 7A, expanded under the 2025 Act), landlord move-in (Ground 1, 4-month notice, available only after the first 12 months), sale (Ground 1A, 4-month notice). Discretionary grounds: persistent late payment (Ground 11), breach of tenancy agreement (Ground 12), nuisance (Ground 14). Notice periods range from 4 weeks (rent arrears, anti-social) to 4 months (move-in, sale).
Compliance status
This template tracks Housing Act 1988 s.8 plus Schedule 2 — Section 8 grounds for possession (new Form 3 under the Renters' Rights Act 2025); Renters' Rights Act 2025 — Information Sheet duty (by 31 May 2026) and mandatory written tenancy information (from 1 May 2026). Our compliance radar crawls the publishing bodies every six hours — see the standards we build to today or the radar of what's coming next.
Engineer remains responsible for verifying compliance with the version applicable to their work. TradeDoc is a tool, not a regulator.
Who needs it
- ·Every private landlord seeking possession of an assured tenancy in England
- ·Build-to-rent operators across the new tenancy regime
- ·Letting agents serving notice on the landlord's behalf
- ·Mortgagee lenders exercising power of sale on a buy-to-let with a tenant in occupation
What goes on it
Every mandatory field, in the order the inspector or auditor will check them.
Landlord and tenant details
Legal owner of the property, tenant name(s), property address, contact addresses for service of any reply.
Tenancy details
Tenancy start date, current rent, tenancy type (assured periodic post-RRA), any superior landlord or head-lease arrangement.
Grounds relied upon
Each Schedule 2 ground number, the full statutory text of the ground, the factual particulars supporting that ground (dates, amounts, incidents), and a reference to retained evidence (rent statement, ASB log, sale agreement).
Notice period and earliest possession date
Per-ground statutory minimum notice period, calculation showing the earliest date proceedings can issue, the chosen service method, and confirmation that the earliest date has been calculated from the date of service (not preparation).
Court warning
The prescribed warning to the tenant about possession proceedings, signposting to free advice (Citizens Advice, Shelter), and a clear statement that the tenant should seek advice promptly.
Service confirmation
Landlord signature, date, method of service, witness if served in person, retained evidence (proof of posting, email read receipt, in-person acknowledgement).
Common mistakes on a hand-filled one
The small things that get picked up on audit, insurance review, or when the next engineer reads it.
- ✗Using the old Form 3 (pre-Renters' Rights Act 2025), the form was redrafted and the old version no longer satisfies the statutory requirement
- ✗Specifying a ground without setting out the supporting facts, the court will reject a ground that is asserted but not particularised
- ✗Calculating the earliest possession date from the date the notice was prepared rather than the date it was served
- ✗Serving by email without prior written agreement to electronic service, the service then fails and the notice has to be reissued
- ✗Mixing mandatory and discretionary grounds without clearly flagging which is which, the tenant defence may exploit the ambiguity
- ✗Forgetting to issue a fresh notice when arrears are cleared and re-accrue, an old notice does not roll forward to new arrears
- ✗Underclaiming on rent-arrears Ground 8, the two-month threshold must be met both at notice service and at the hearing date
The faster option
Fill one on your phone in 2 minutes
Pick the template. Answer the fields. Customer signs from their inbox. PDF saved in the vault with a unique number. Free forever on your first 100 docs a month. Pro £15/month adds custom branding and one-tap customer email. No card at sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
Section 21 is abolished, what changed?+
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 ended the no-fault Section 21 route from 1 May 2026. Possession on an assured tenancy now requires a Section 8 ground. The grounds were expanded to include landlord move-in (Ground 1, 4-month notice) and sale (Ground 1A), previously available only via Section 21.
How long is the notice period?+
Depends on the ground. Anti-social behaviour and serious rent arrears: 4 weeks. Persistent late payment: 4 weeks. Landlord move-in or sale: 4 months. Most discretionary grounds: 2 weeks. The notice itself sets out the per-ground minimum.
Can I rely on multiple grounds?+
Yes, and you should where the facts support it. A notice listing rent arrears, breach of tenancy and persistent late payment gives the court alternatives if one ground is contested. Each ground must still be properly particularised.
What evidence do I need?+
Rent arrears: a rent statement showing the arrears at the date of notice. Anti-social behaviour: contemporaneous log, witness statements, police references where relevant. Sale: proof the property is genuinely on the market (estate agent agreement). Move-in: declaration of intent and proof of any current alternative residence being given up.
What if the tenant clears the arrears before the hearing?+
Ground 8 (mandatory rent arrears) requires the two-month threshold at both notice and hearing. If the tenant pays down to one month before the hearing, Ground 8 fails. Discretionary grounds (10, 11) may still succeed on the same facts.
Can I withdraw the notice?+
Yes, in writing, before proceedings issue. After issue, the proceedings must be discontinued and any costs settled. A withdrawn notice does not bar service of a fresh notice on the same or new grounds.