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Evict a tenant, the legal way
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Section 21 is abolished in England, so getting the ground and the notice right is now the hard part. GitLaw prepares the correct Section 8 notice on Form 3A, or your state’s notice in the US, and the court pack. You serve and file. Never change the locks.
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How eviction actually works now
Five steps, never a lock change, always a lawful notice
Since Section 21 was abolished in England, you can’t just give notice, you have to pick a lawful ground, use the right form, give the right notice period, and go through the court. Get any of it wrong and the notice is invalid. GitLaw prepares each document in order, starting from the correct notice.
GitLaw prepares it; you serve and file.Sample
Notice Seeking PossessionPrepared with GitLaw
England · post-Renters’-Rights-Act
Draft, for the landlord to serve; GitLaw does not serve or file
26 October 2026
To: [Tenant Name] Property: 14 Alder Road, Manchester M20 3AB From: A. Landlord (landlord)
Rent arrears on 14 Alder Road, Manchester M20 3AB, let’s sort this out
Dear [Tenant Name], I’m writing about the rent arrears on 14 Alder Road, Manchester M20 3AB. Before anything formal, I’d rather find a way through this. Could we agree a short payment plan to clear the balance? If circumstances have changed, tell me, and it’s worth checking whether you can get help with rent or benefits, or advice from a service like Citizens Advice or Shelter. If we can’t reach an arrangement, the next step would be a formal notice, which starts a legal process. I’d much prefer to avoid that. Please get in touch so we can agree a plan.
Kind regards,A. LandlordA. LandlordLandlord
Sample
Notice Seeking PossessionPrepared with GitLaw
England · post-Renters’-Rights-Act
Draft, for the landlord to serve; GitLaw does not serve or file
26 October 2026
To: [Tenant Name] Property: 14 Alder Road, Manchester M20 3AB From: A. Landlord (landlord)
NOTICE SEEKING POSSESSION: Section 8, Housing Act 1988 (Form 3A): 14 Alder Road, Manchester M20 3AB
To [Tenant Name], of 14 Alder Road, Manchester M20 3AB. I, A. Landlord, your landlord, give you notice that I intend to seek possession of the above property on the ground(s) set out in this notice, under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988. Ground relied on: as selected for your situation (for example, the rent-arrears ground, or Ground 1A where the landlord intends to sell). Particulars: the facts supporting the ground are set out in the attached schedule. After the notice period stated on this form has passed, and if you have not given up possession, I may apply to the court for a possession order. I will not, and cannot lawfully, remove you myself, only a court, enforced by a county court bailiff or High Court enforcement officer, can do that. This notice is prepared on the prescribed Form 3A (or a form substantially to like effect). It is a draft for the landlord to complete and serve; GitLaw does not serve it for you.
Signed (landlord):A. LandlordA. LandlordLandlord
Sample
Possession-claim pack
If the notice period passes and the tenant hasn’t left, the next step is a possession claim at the county court, there’s no paper-only shortcut now that Section 21 is gone. GitLaw prepares the claim pack: the claim form and particulars of claim, and, for an arrears case, a rent schedule setting out what’s owed and when. We prepare it; you file it at court and pay the court fee. From here it’s a court process, so if it’s contested or high-value, consider a solicitor.
Sample
Hearing pack
The court lists a hearing. To be ready, you’ll usually want a clear witness statement and an evidence bundle, for arrears, an up-to-date rent statement showing the balance at the date of the hearing; for other grounds, the documents that support them. GitLaw prepares a witness-statement template and an evidence-bundle checklist so you turn up organised. It’s preparation and guidance, not representation or legal advice.
Sample
Enforcement
If the court makes a possession order and the tenant still doesn’t leave, you don’t evict them yourself, you apply for a warrant of possession so a county court bailiff carries out the eviction (in some cases the claim can be transferred to the High Court for enforcement instead). There’s a separate court fee to apply for the warrant. GitLaw prepares the enforcement application and explains what to expect. Changing the locks or removing the tenant yourself is a criminal offence, only the court’s officer can lawfully evict.
Example first page of a Section 8 notice for 14 Alder Road, Manchester M20 3AB, prepared 26 October 2026. This is a sample, your own notice is generated from your details and the ground that fits. GitLaw prepares it; you serve it.
Most “how to evict a tenant” guides are now out of date
On 1 May 2026 the Renters’ Rights Act abolished Section 21 “no-fault” eviction in England and removed the accelerated, paper-only possession route. Possession now runs through Section 8 on a stated ground, using the prescribed Form 3A, and through a court hearing. A lot of the “how to evict” guides and templates online still describe the old system, using them can invalidate your notice.
AbolishedSection 21 “no-fault” evictions in England, since 1 May 2026
Form 3AThe prescribed Section 8 form now (it replaced the old Form 3)
All 50US states where self-help eviction (changing locks, cutting utilities, removing belongings) is illegal
Sources: gov.uk guidance on repossessing rented property after 1 May 2026; Protection from Eviction Act 1977; Nolo on illegal self-help eviction. The Renters’ Rights Act applies to England only: Wales and Scotland have their own systems, and US rules vary by state. Figures are current at publication and not legal advice.
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Evict a tenant the legal way, starting from the correct notice
Free, in plain language, built for the rules that apply now, post-Renters’-Rights-Act in England, state-specific in the US. GitLaw prepares the documents and guides you; you serve and file. Never self-evict. No card, no trial, no membership.
Evicting a tenant, your questions answered
In England, no, you can’t serve a new Section 21 “no-fault” notice. Section 21 was abolished, so possession now goes through Section 8 on a stated legal ground. If you served a valid Section 21 before 1 May 2026, it may still be usable for a limited window, broadly, you must start a possession claim by the earlier of six months from when it was served or 31 July 2026, and serving a new one now can carry a civil penalty (reported as up to £7,000). GitLaw doesn’t generate new Section 21 notices; it helps you check whether an existing one is still in time and, if not, prepares the correct Section 8 notice instead. General information, not legal advice.
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