Section 8 Notices
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has updated eviction rules for tenants in England effective from 1 May 2026.
A Section 8 Notice is a legal written notice served by your landlord to regain possession of the property during your tenancy. This requires your landlord to rely on one of a number of limited reasons (grounds) as ‘no fault evictions’ are now abolished.
You are entitled to be given a period of notice before you can be evicted, the period of which depends on the ground stated in the Notice (can range from 2 weeks to 4 months).
You can challenge a Section 8 notice in court if you dispute the validity of the grounds or if the notice does not comply with the required legal procedures, including the Notice period.
If the tenant does not vacate the property voluntarily by the expiry date of the notice, the landlord must obtain a possession order from the court to proceed with eviction. Court proceedings must be initiated by the landlord within 12 months of serving the notice. Otherwise, the notice will expire and become invalid.
You can obtain help regarding Court proceedings by seeking independent legal advice or contacting Citizens Advice. We can investigate if your landlord has carried out the correct procedure and used the proper legal format.
If you are at risk of becoming homeless seek early advice by using this link for information.