How to End a Tenancy in the UK Post-RRA 2025: Landlord Guide

From 1 May 2026, a landlord can end an Assured Periodic Tenancy (APT) in England only by serving a Section 8 notice citing one or more grounds in the revised Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988. Section 21 — the old “no-fault” route — is repealed. This how-to walks through the steps from initial decision to possession.

Step 1 — Identify a Valid Ground

Before anything else, identify which Schedule 2 ground(s) apply. The most commonly used:

*Ground 1A: cannot be used in first 12 months; no re-let for 12 months after.

If the situation does not match a Schedule 2 ground, the landlord cannot recover possession. Schedule 2 is exhaustive.

Step 2 — Check Pre-Conditions

Different grounds have different pre-conditions. Common requirements:

• Deposit properly protected. Where a deposit was taken, it must be in an authorised scheme (DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS) and the Prescribed Information served within 30 days. Failure to comply restricts the use of certain Section 8 grounds.
• How to Rent guide given. The current version must have been provided at the start of the tenancy.
• Gas safety certificate provided. Annual CP12 must have been served on the tenant.
• EPC provided. At marketing and at letting.
• Right to rent check completed before tenancy. Under Immigration Act 2014.
• Selective licence in place. If the property is in a designated selective licensing area.

For Ground 1A specifically: tenancy must be at least 12 months old.

Step 3 — Plead Multiple Grounds Where Helpful

In rent cases, plead Ground 8 (mandatory if 3+ months at notice and hearing) plus Ground 10 (some rent unpaid — discretionary) plus Ground 11 (persistent delay — discretionary). If arrears reduce by the hearing, Ground 8 may fail but Ground 10 / 11 may still succeed.

For mixed cases, consider combining grounds (e.g. Ground 1A sale + Ground 12 breach if there has also been a tenancy breach).

Step 4 — Serve the Section 8 Notice

The Section 8 notice is a prescribed form. It must specify:

• The tenant’s name and the property address
• The ground(s) being relied on, with full statutory wording
• The date by which the tenant must give up possession (the notice period)
• The date of service
• The landlord’s signature (or agent’s, with authority)

Notice forms are available via gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/eviction-notices-from-landlords.

Service Methods

The notice can be served by:

• Personal delivery to the tenant
• Posting through the letterbox
• First-class post to the property address
• Email (only if the tenancy agreement permits email service)

Best practice: serve by two methods (e.g. email + recorded delivery + photo of letterbox delivery). Save evidence of service — date, time, photo, postage receipt — to a possession file.

Notice Period Calculation

The notice period runs from the day after service. If serving on Monday 1 June 2026 with a 4-week notice period, the notice expires Monday 29 June 2026.

Notice periods cannot expire before:

• 4 weeks after service (Ground 8, 10, 11)
• 4 months after service (Ground 1, 1A, 2, 6)
• The end of a rental period in some cases — check the specific ground

Step 5 — Wait for the Notice Period to Expire

During the notice period:

• The tenant may pay arrears down (which may defeat Ground 8)
• The tenant may leave voluntarily (no court application needed)
• The landlord may negotiate a managed departure (e.g. rent forgiveness for early departure)

If the tenant remains and the landlord wishes to proceed, the next step is court application after the notice expires.

Step 6 — Apply to the County Court

If the tenant has not left after the notice expires, file a possession claim:

• Online via Possession Claim Online (PCOL): https://www.gov.uk/possession-claim-online-recover-property
• On paper at the County Court covering the property’s location

Court fee: £355 (subject to update).

The application must include:

• The Section 8 notice
• Evidence of service
• Proof of compliance with all pre-conditions (deposit protection, gas safety, etc.)
• For rent grounds: a complete rent ledger
• For breach grounds: documented breaches, photos, correspondence

Step 7 — Court Hearing

For mandatory grounds (Ground 1, 1A, 2, 6, 8): the court must grant possession if the ground is proven.

For discretionary grounds (Ground 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17): the court grants possession only if it considers it reasonable, having regard to all the circumstances.

The hearing is typically a 5–15 minute hearing in the County Court. The landlord (or representative) presents the evidence; the tenant may attend and contest.

Outcomes:

• Outright possession order. Tenant must vacate within 14 days (extendable to 6 weeks in exceptional circumstances).
• Suspended possession order. Possession suspended on conditions (e.g. rent payment plan).
• Adjournment. Hearing postponed.
• Dismissal. Claim refused.

Step 8 — Warrant of Possession (If Tenant Does Not Leave)

If the tenant does not vacate by the date in the possession order, the landlord applies for a warrant of possession. County Court bailiffs execute the warrant — physically remove the tenant. Bailiff appointments are typically 4–8 weeks after warrant issue.

For faster execution, a landlord may apply to transfer the warrant to the High Court (High Court Enforcement Officers — HCEO), but the County Court must approve and the additional fees apply.

Step 9 — Recover Costs and Arrears (If Applicable)

The possession order may include:

• Order for the tenant to pay arrears
• Order for the tenant to pay legal costs (often partial)
• Money judgment for damages (e.g. damage to property)

Enforcement of money judgments is separate — bailiff/HCEO execution, attachment of earnings, charging order on tenant’s other property, etc.

Common Mistakes — Gyoseishoshi View

1. Defective Section 8 notice. Wrong ground number, wrong statutory wording, wrong notice period — any defect can defeat the claim. Use the prescribed form; check every detail.

2. Failing to comply with pre-conditions. Deposit not protected; How to Rent guide not given; Gas Safety Certificate missing. Tenants increasingly use these to defeat possession claims.

3. Self-help eviction. Changing locks; removing belongings; cutting off utilities. All criminal offences under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/43/contents).

4. Skipping the court process for “abandoned” properties. Where a tenant has departed but not formally surrendered, document abandonment thoroughly (mail piling up, contents removed, neighbours’ confirmation) before changing locks. When in doubt, apply for a possession order.

5. Pleading only one ground when multiple are available. Plead alternatives. The court considers each.

6. Treating the Information Sheet as optional. During the May 2026 transition window, it must be served on every existing tenant.

7. Pursuing eviction in the first 12 months on Ground 1A. The 12-month restriction on Ground 1A is absolute. Use Ground 1 (move-in) instead if applicable, or wait.

Conclusion

Ending a tenancy under the post-RRA 2025 regime is procedurally exact and slower than under the old AST/Section 21 system. Identify the ground, comply with pre-conditions, serve a flawless Section 8 notice, wait out the notice period, apply to court, and follow through to bailiff execution if needed. Documentation throughout is the single biggest predictor of success.

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Disclaimer

This article provides legal information, not legal advice. MmowW Scrib🐮 is a document preparation service operated by a licensed Gyoseishoshi (行政書士) office in Japan. We are not solicitors, barristers, or attorneys.

Sources

1. Renters’ Rights Act 2025: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/26/contents
2. Housing Act 1988 — Schedule 2: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/50/schedule/2
3. Eviction notices from landlords: https://www.gov.uk/eviction-notices-from-landlords
4. Possession claim online: https://www.gov.uk/possession-claim-online-recover-property