Eviction notices in 2026: what's valid, what isn't
"Eviction notice" means something very different in 2026 than it did two years ago. In England there is now exactly one lawful route for a landlord to end a tenancy, and several formerly common notices that are now legally worthless. Here is the current position, for landlords and for tenants checking a notice they have received.
The only valid eviction notice in England: Section 8
A valid notice must be on the prescribed form, cite one or more statutory grounds from Schedule 2 to the Housing Act 1988 (as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025), and give at least the minimum notice period for the ground relied on. If the tenant does not leave, the landlord applies to court – only a court order and bailiffs can enforce an eviction.
Notice periods by ground (headline rules)
| Ground | Type | Notice |
|---|---|---|
| Selling / landlord moving in | Mandatory | 4 months; not in first 12 months of tenancy |
| Serious rent arrears | Mandatory | 4 weeks at the statutory arrears threshold |
| Antisocial behaviour | Discretionary | Can be immediate in serious cases |
| Breach of tenancy terms | Discretionary | 2 weeks |
Ground-by-ground detail: our Section 8 guide.
Notices that are NOT valid in England in 2026
- Section 21 notices and Form 6A – abolished 1 May 2026.
- "Notice to quit" letters with no statutory ground for an assured tenancy.
- Informal deadlines – texts, emails or letters telling a tenant to leave by a date.
- Anything self-enforced – changing locks, removing belongings or cutting services is a criminal offence regardless of what notice was served.
Scotland and Wales are different
Scotland uses the private residential tenancy notice-to-leave system; Wales uses occupation contract notices under Renting Homes law. This page and our documents cover England.
Want the dates and figures worked out for you? Try the free notice period calculator.
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