Section 8 notice template UK 2026: free draft PDF, Form 3 workflow & Schedule 2 grounds

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Read our Section 21 abolition guide and Renters' Rights Act 2025 checklist for deadlines that now sit alongside possession planning.

The dashboard tool expands each item with full labels. Below is the same list Google users often search for — Ground 8 rent arrears, Ground 10, Ground 11, and discretionary conduct / property grounds.

• 1

  Ground 1 — Landlord or family member needs the home (mandatory)

  Mandatory ground (as substituted by the Renters' Rights Act 2025). The landlord (or their spouse/civil partner/cohabitant, parent, grandparent, sibling, child, grandchild — including step-relatives via paragraph (b)) requires the dwelling-house as their only or principal home. The current tenancy must have begun at least 1 year before the date specified in the notice. Cannot be combined with Ground 1A. After serving on Ground 1 the landlord cannot re-let or market the property to a new tenant for 12 months (HA 1988 s.16E).

• 1A

  Ground 1A — Landlord intends to sell (mandatory) [NEW under RRA 2025]

  Mandatory ground introduced by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. The landlord intends to sell the freehold or grant a long lease (>21 years) of the dwelling-house. The current tenancy must have begun at least 1 year before the date specified in the notice (or notice of compulsory acquisition has been served). Not available to social landlords. After serving on Ground 1A the landlord cannot re-let or market the property for 12 months (HA 1988 s.16E) — breach is a banning offence under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

• 7

  Ground 7 — Tenancy passed on death of tenant (mandatory)

  Mandatory ground. The tenancy has devolved on a new tenant under the will or intestacy of the previous tenant, and possession proceedings are begun no later than 12 months after the death (or after the landlord became aware of it). Where the new tenant was already living in the dwelling as their only or principal home, an order can only be made in the limited circumstances added by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (e.g. previous devolution, or special tenancies such as supported accommodation or s.193 homelessness placements).

• 7A

  Ground 7A — Anti-social behaviour conviction or order (mandatory)

  Mandatory ground. The tenant, a member of the household or a visitor has been convicted of a serious offence at or near the dwelling, breached a relevant injunction or criminal behaviour order, or the dwelling has been closed under a closure order for over 48 hours. Notice period is 1 month for fixed-term assured tenancies and 4 weeks for periodic tenancies (and the start of a "rental period" rule applies to periodic tenancies).

• 7B

  Ground 7B — No right to rent (Home Office notice) (mandatory)

  Mandatory ground. The Secretary of State has given the landlord a notice identifying the tenant (or another adult occupier) as a person disqualified from occupying the property under the Immigration Act 2014 because they do not have a right to rent. Cannot be used in respect of a person who has any right to rent. Notice period is 2 weeks.

• 8

  Ground 8 — Serious rent arrears (mandatory)

  Mandatory ground. As amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (in force 1 May 2026): at least 3 months' rent unpaid if rent is monthly, or at least 13 weeks' rent unpaid if rent is weekly or fortnightly — at BOTH the date the notice is served AND the date of the hearing. Any unpaid amount that is only outstanding because the tenant has not yet received their universal credit housing element is ignored.

• 10

  Ground 10 — Rent unpaid (discretionary)

  Some rent lawfully due from the tenant is unpaid on the date the notice is served and (if proceedings are begun) when proceedings begin. Discretionary — the court must also find it reasonable to make the order.

• 11

  Ground 11 — Persistent delay in paying rent (discretionary)

  Whether or not any rent is in arrears on the date the notice is served, the tenant has persistently delayed paying rent which has become lawfully due. Discretionary — court considers reasonableness.

• 12

  Ground 12 — Breach of tenancy obligation (discretionary)

  Any obligation of the tenancy (other than one related to the payment of rent) has been broken or not performed. Discretionary.

• 13

  Ground 13 — Deterioration of dwelling-house or common parts (discretionary)

  The condition of the dwelling-house or any of the common parts has deteriorated owing to acts of waste by, or the neglect or default of, the tenant or any other person residing in the dwelling-house. Discretionary.

• 14

  Ground 14 — Nuisance, annoyance or illegal/immoral use (discretionary)

  The tenant or a person residing in or visiting the dwelling-house has been guilty of conduct causing or likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance to a person residing, visiting or otherwise engaging in lawful activity in the locality, OR has been convicted of using the dwelling-house (or allowing it to be used) for immoral or illegal purposes, or an indictable offence committed in or in the locality of the dwelling-house. Discretionary, no minimum notice — proceedings may be begun on the day the notice is served.

• 14A

  Ground 14A — Domestic violence (social landlords only — mandatory)

  Available only to a registered social landlord or a charitable housing trust (or, in Wales, a registered social landlord). The dwelling was occupied by a married/civil-partner/cohabiting couple, one partner has left because of violence or threats of violence by the other, and the partner who has left is unlikely to return. Discretionary.

• 15

  Ground 15 — Deterioration of furniture (discretionary)

  The condition of any furniture provided for use under the tenancy has, in the landlord's opinion, deteriorated owing to ill-treatment by the tenant or any other person residing in the dwelling-house (and, in the case of any other person, the tenant has not taken reasonable steps to remove that person). Discretionary.

• 17

  Ground 17 — Tenancy obtained by false statement (discretionary)

  The landlord was induced to grant the tenancy by a false statement made knowingly or recklessly by the tenant or a person acting at the tenant's instigation. Discretionary.

1. 1

   Create an account or sign in (the generator lives in your secure Documents area next to Form 6A drafts).

2. 2

   Enter landlord name and correspondence address, all tenant names, and the full let property address.

3. 3

   Tick every Schedule 2 ground you may rely on; read the plain-English hint beside each.

4. 4

   If you selected Ground 8, 10 or 11, enter the rent arrears or unpaid amount and the date you are using as your snapshot.

5. 5

   Set the date of the notice and optional tenancy start date; add any internal note for your solicitor.

6. 6

   Download PDF or .txt, then complete the official Form 3 from GOV.UK and serve according to the notes.