Section 8 notice period calculator

Since 1 May 2026 every possession claim on an assured tenancy in England starts with a section 8 notice on Form 3A. Tick the grounds you're relying on to see the earliest date court proceedings can begin, and the last date they can.

Minimum notice for each ground

The notice must give at least the minimum period for every ground it names. With several grounds, the longest one sets the date.

Ground	Earliest start of proceedings after service
Ground 1: you or close family moving in	4 months
Ground 1A: selling the property	4 months
Ground 2: mortgage lender repossessing	4 months
Ground 8: serious rent arrears	4 weeks
Ground 10: some rent unpaid	4 weeks
Ground 11: persistent late payment	4 weeks
Ground 7B: tenant has no right to rent	2 weeks
Ground 12: breach of a tenancy term	2 weeks
Ground 13: damage to the property	2 weeks
Ground 17: tenancy obtained by a false statement	2 weeks
Ground 7A: serious antisocial behaviour or conviction	Proceedings can begin on the day of service
Ground 14: nuisance or annoyance	Proceedings can begin on the day of service

The table covers the grounds private landlords use most. Other grounds exist, for example for student lets, employees and supported accommodation, and have their own periods.

The rules that change the date

Several grounds: the date can't be earlier than the end of the longest period for any ground named.
Grounds 7A and 14 (antisocial behaviour): if the notice names either of them, with or without other grounds, proceedings can begin on the day the notice is served. Every ground still has to be proved in court.
Grounds 1 and 1A in the first year: the tenancy must have begun at least 12 months before the notice expires. You can serve during the first year, but the notice can't usefully expire before the 12 months are up.
Use it or lose it: proceedings must begin no later than 12 months after the date of service.
After ground 1 or 1A: there is a restricted period in which you must not re-let or market the property to let. More on the 12-month rules

Rent arrears grounds

Ground 8 is mandatory: at least 3 months' rent must be owed if rent is paid monthly, or 13 weeks' rent if it's paid weekly or fortnightly, both when you serve the notice and at the hearing. Grounds 10 and 11 are discretionary: the court decides whether making an order is reasonable.

Before you serve

Use the current Form 3A from GOV.UK and fill in every ground's explanation.
Check the deposit is protected and the paperwork is in order. Build a compliance calendar
If you send the notice by post, the date of service may be later than the date you post it, so allow extra time.
If the tenant doesn't leave when the notice expires, you need a court order. Take legal advice on contested cases.

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Sources: Housing Act 1988, section 8 and Schedule 2, as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 from 1 May 2026; GOV.UK Assured periodic tenancies: ending a tenancy. Not legal advice.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Checked against GOV.UK on 30 September 2026. Rules change — always confirm on GOV.UK.