Ending a tenancy agreement

As of 1st May 2026, Section 21 is abolished and a landlord will usually have to serve a Section 8 notice, stating one or more possession grounds if they want to end a tenancy. 

The new Section 8 notice comes with updated possession grounds, new offences for getting it wrong, and a new form that you must use. Find out more in our guidance.

On 1st May 2026, the Renters' Right came into force, abolishing Section 21 notices and changing the rules and forms for Section 8 notices. 

However, if you served one of these notices before then, your tenancy will still be an AST for a short time, and you can still apply to court until July 31st provided the notice is valid. Check your notice is valid with our guidance here.

If you served a Section 21 notice before 1st May 2026, you can apply for possession using the accelerated possession procedure. The accelerated possession procedure does not normally require you to attend a court hearing. Instead, the judge makes their decisions after looking over the paperwork you sent in with the N5B form.

After you’ve got the N5B form, download our completion instructions for support with the process.

Where your tenancy is not an assured or assured shorthold tenancy then it is likely to be a non-assured or common law tenancy instead. To end these types of tenancy agreements you will need to serve a notice to quit instead of a Section 21 or Section 8 notice.

There are many different types of notice that a landlord may need to serve depending on their tenancy. These notices will each have their own specific requirements. However, whether it is a Section 21 notice or a notice to quit, there are certain practices that you should follow as a landlord if you want to ensure the notice is served correctly on a residential tenancy. The NRLA will support all members with how to serve a notice.

If you are not entitled to use the accelerated possession procedure you will have to apply for a court hearing to receive a possession order. This will mean filling out a claim form (N5) and the particulars of claim form (N119) or, if the case is solely about rent arrears applying via the Possession Claim Online (PCOL) service.

We provide guidance on completing the N5 and N119 claim forms, and applying via PCOL. Download our completion instructions for full support.

If your tenant does not move out by the date set by the court in the possession order, you will need to take enforcement action and apply for a bailiff to enforce the order. To do this, you must complete a warrant for possession of landlord (Form N325) and send it to the court that heard your possession claim.

Get your form from gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-n325-request-for-warrant-for-possession-of-land

You can get help with filling out the Form N325 by  downloading our completion instructions.

In most cases, a tenancy will end when the tenant serves notice on you and then hands back the property with vacant possession.

This guide sets out how a tenant can end their tenancy formally, as well as what happens when it's not clear that a tenant has left.

Items left behind at the end of a tenancy still belong to the tenant and landlords are responsible for ensuring they are kept safe. Landlords can dispose of them but they need to follow the correct procedure, including storing them for a time.

This guidance provides information on the procedure for disposing and storing these items.