With Section 21 abolished from 1 May 2026, Section 8 is now the only route landlords in England have to regain possession of a let property - and it requires citing one or more specific legal grounds, each with its own rules around notice periods, evidence, and whether a court must grant possession (mandatory) or simply has the discretion to (discretionary).
The grounds cover a wide range of situations: rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, breach of tenancy terms, the landlord wanting to sell or move in (or have a family member move in), and more. Each comes with its own notice period - typically two weeks for serious rent arrears or anti-social behaviour, but four months for the sale and move-in grounds, which also cannot be used within the first 12 months of a tenancy.
This guide goes through every Section 8 ground in plain English - what it's for, when it applies, how much notice you need to give, what evidence helps your case, and the key restrictions to be aware of - so you can understand your options before taking any formal steps (and know when it's time to bring in a solicitor).
The full guide will cover: