Update: Section 21 Changes (July 2026)
Important: This article was originally published in 2018. Since the Renters’ Rights Act came into force in May 2026, landlords in England can no longer serve new Section 21 (“no fault”) eviction notices.
Most landlords now need to rely on the appropriate Section 8 grounds for possession, following the updated legal process. If you are unsure which grounds apply, it’s important to seek professional advice before starting possession proceedings.
The tenant eviction process can be a particularly tough situation to face. So here are the 4 steps you need to follow to know how to evict a tenant in the UK.
1. Identify the Correct Grounds for Possession
Since the abolition of Section 21 in England, landlords can no longer begin the eviction process using a “no fault” eviction notice.
Instead, landlords must rely on one or more of the statutory grounds for possession under Section 8. These include reasons such as significant rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, selling the property, or moving back into the property where the legal requirements are met.
The correct notice period will depend on the ground being used.
2. Write an eviction notice to a tenant
The precise form of the notice to evict tenant letter can differentiate, but it must be in writing and must specify the date of required possession. This date must not be sooner than two months after the notice has been served. It also mustn’t be earlier than the end of the fixed term.
If the fixed term has expired, or the tenancy was periodic, the date specified must be the last day of the rental period.
It’s very easy to get the date wrong in this situation, so be careful because if the date is wrong, then you won’t succeed in possession.
3. Court Possession Proceedings
If a tenant does not leave after the notice period has expired, landlords may need to apply to the court for a possession order. The court will consider whether the legal grounds have been satisfied before granting possession.
4. Professional tenant eviction service and notice servers
Sometimes a tenant will not answer the door so can’t have notice served on them. You can deal with this by taking a witness and put the notice through the letterbox before 5pm. When you follow these steps, it counts as serving notice on the following day.
You can always choose a professional service over doing it yourself. By using this service you will receive a certificate and the fees for this type of service is fairly reasonable. For further reference, check How to attract the best tenants.