Eviction Process in England: Section 8 to Bailiffs (2026)

Since Section 21 was abolished in England on 1 May 2026, a landlord can only evict a private tenant through a Section 8 notice, a County Court possession order, and, if the tenant still remains, a bailiff-enforced warrant of possession.

Information last verified on 18 July 2026. This page covers the eviction process for private tenants in England only; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run different systems, each with its own guide. This is general legal information, not legal advice.

What is the eviction process in England now?

Since the Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished Section 21 for the private rented sector on 1 May 2026, England has a single lawful route to evict a private tenant. A landlord must serve a Section 8 notice under the Housing Act 1988 citing at least one ground for possession, then, if the tenant does not leave, apply to the County Court for a possession order. If the tenant still does not leave once that order is made, the landlord must apply separately for a warrant of possession before County Court bailiffs, or in some cases High Court enforcement officers, can lawfully remove them. Each stage has its own minimum timescale, so the whole process from notice to a tenant leaving commonly takes several months. At no point can a landlord lawfully make a tenant leave without a court order.

The eviction process step by step

1. Serve a Section 8 notice. The landlord gives written notice on the correct form, citing one or more grounds from Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988 (as reformed by the Renters' Rights Act 2025), and gives at least the minimum notice period that ground requires.
2. Apply to the County Court for a possession order. If the tenant has not left by the date in the notice, the landlord applies to the County Court, which checks the ground is proved (and, for a discretionary ground, whether eviction is reasonable) before granting a possession order.
3. Apply for a warrant of possession. If the tenant still does not leave after the possession order's deadline, the landlord applies for a warrant of possession, and County Court bailiffs, or in some cases High Court enforcement officers after a transfer of the order, carry out the eviction.

Step 1: serving a valid Section 8 notice

A Section 8 notice is the only lawful starting point for a private eviction in England. It must be served in writing, cite at least one specific ground from Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988, as reformed by the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and give the tenant at least the minimum notice period that ground requires. Notice periods vary considerably: Ground 1 and Ground 1A (landlord or family moving in, or selling) need at least 4 months and cannot be used in a tenancy's first 12 months, while Ground 8 (serious rent arrears) needs at least 4 weeks once arrears reach 3 months. A notice that cites the wrong ground, understates the notice period, or is served too early is not valid. See our Section 8 notice guide for the full list of grounds and periods.

The UK possession notice calculator works out the earliest date a section 8 notice can give in England, by ground, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and shows the notice periods in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Step 2: applying to the County Court for a possession order

If the tenant does not leave by the date in the Section 8 notice, the landlord's next step is a claim to the County Court for a possession order. Unlike the old Section 21 accelerated route, this claim is decided on its merits: the court checks the notice was validly served and considers whether the ground relied on is actually made out. A landlord who served a Section 8 notice on or after 1 May 2026 usually has up to 12 months to apply to court. If the tenant paid a deposit, the court will only make a possession order if the deposit was returned, a court case about its protection has ended, or it is held in an approved scheme and the tenant was given the prescribed information; these deposit rules do not apply to the antisocial behaviour grounds 7A and 14. For a mandatory ground, such as Ground 1, 1A or 8, the court must grant possession once the ground is proved. For a discretionary ground, the court also weighs whether eviction is reasonable in the tenant's circumstances, usually at a hearing where both sides can put their case. A possession order sets a date for the tenant to leave, but it does not itself authorise anyone to remove them.

Step 3: warrant of possession and bailiffs, or High Court enforcement

A possession order is not the end of the process if the tenant still does not leave. The landlord must apply separately to the County Court for a warrant of possession, which instructs bailiffs to carry out the eviction on a set date, and the tenant is normally given advance notice of that date. In some cases, a landlord can instead ask the court for permission to transfer the case to the High Court, where High Court enforcement officers carry out the eviction, sometimes faster than waiting for a County Court bailiff appointment. Only a bailiff or High Court enforcement officer acting under one of these orders may lawfully remove a tenant. A landlord, letting agent, or anyone else who removes a tenant themselves is acting unlawfully, whatever the possession order says.

Why accelerated possession no longer applies

Before 1 May 2026, a landlord using a no-fault Section 21 notice could apply for an accelerated possession order, a paper-based process decided by a judge on the documents alone, usually without a hearing, because there was no ground to test. That route existed specifically because Section 21 required no reason and no evidence, so the court had nothing to weigh. Since Section 21 was abolished, every eviction must rely on a Section 8 ground, which by definition requires the court to check the ground is proved and, for a discretionary ground, whether eviction is reasonable. That assessment does not fit the accelerated, no-hearing model, so accelerated possession is no longer available for new private-sector claims in England; every case now goes through the standard possession process described above. A landlord holding a valid Section 21 or Section 8 notice served before 1 May 2026 could still apply for accelerated possession, but only up to 31 July 2026.

Illegal eviction is a criminal offence

A landlord must never evict a tenant without going through the Section 8 notice, County Court, and bailiff process described above. Changing the locks, removing a tenant's belongings, cutting off utilities, or otherwise forcing a tenant out, whether through harassment or by acting as if a court order already exists, is illegal eviction. Under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, unlawfully depriving a residential occupier of their home is a criminal offence that can carry a fine or imprisonment, and a local council can also prosecute or fine a landlord separately for harassment or illegal eviction. A tenant who has been illegally evicted may be able to get back into the property, claim compensation, or apply for a rent repayment order; Shelter or Citizens Advice can help with next steps.

How long does the eviction process take?

There is no fixed timetable, because each stage has its own minimum notice period and depends on the County Court's workload. A Section 8 notice period alone can range from 4 weeks (Ground 8 arrears) to 4 months (Ground 1 or 1A), and a possession claim then needs time for the court to list a hearing, decide the case, and issue the order. If the tenant still does not leave, the warrant of possession stage adds further weeks before a bailiff appointment is available. Taken together, the process from serving a Section 8 notice to a tenant actually leaving commonly takes several months, even for a straightforward mandatory ground, and considerably longer where a hearing is contested or the court list is busy.

Eviction in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

This process, Section 8 notice, County Court, warrant and bailiffs, applies to private tenancies in England only.

In Scotland, there is no Section 8 equivalent: a landlord serves a Notice to Leave and applies to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland, where every ground is now discretionary; see eviction in Scotland. In Wales, a landlord can still evict without a reason using a Section 173 notice with 6 months' notice, alongside grounds under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016; see eviction in Wales. In Northern Ireland, a landlord serves a valid Notice to Quit, with the required notice depending on how long the tenant has lived there, and no statutory ground is required; see eviction in Northern Ireland. Do not assume a notice period, ground, or process from one nation applies in another.

This page is general legal information about the eviction process in England, verified on 18 July 2026. It is not legal advice, and how it applies to a specific tenancy depends on the ground relied on and the facts of the case. For advice, contact Citizens Advice, Shelter, or a solicitor. For the underlying grounds, see the Section 8 notice guide and what replaced the Section 21 notice; for the wider reform, see the Renters' Rights Act 2025 explainer. For eviction elsewhere in the UK, see eviction in Scotland, and for the full four-nation comparison, see the UK tenant rights hub, part of our wider guide to United Kingdom law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my landlord still evict me without a reason in England?

No. Since Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026, a landlord in England must serve a Section 8 notice citing a specific legal ground before they can evict a private tenant.

What are the three stages of eviction in England?

A Section 8 notice with the correct notice period, a County Court application for a possession order if the tenant does not leave, and, if the tenant still remains, a warrant of possession enforced by bailiffs or High Court enforcement officers.

Can my landlord use the old accelerated possession process?

No. Accelerated possession was a paper-only process tied to the no-fault Section 21 notice. Since every eviction must now rely on a Section 8 ground, which the court has to check is proved, accelerated possession is no longer available.

Does a possession order mean I have to leave immediately?

No. A possession order sets a date to leave, but it does not authorise anyone to remove you. If you stay beyond that date, the landlord must apply separately for a warrant of possession before bailiffs can act.

Can my landlord change the locks or make me leave without a court order?

No. Doing so is illegal eviction, a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, whatever the tenancy paperwork says. Contact the police if there is violence or threats, and your council or Shelter about harassment or illegal eviction.

How long does the eviction process take in England?

It varies with the ground and the County Court's workload, but taken together the Section 8 notice period, the court claim, and, if needed, the warrant of possession commonly add up to several months.

Does this process apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

No. Scotland uses the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland with a Notice to Leave, Wales still allows a no-fault Section 173 notice decided by the County Court, and Northern Ireland uses a Notice to Quit. Each nation runs its own system.

What should I do if I get a Section 8 notice or a court claim?

Check which ground is cited and whether the correct notice period was given, since a mistake can make the notice invalid. Citizens Advice, Shelter, or a solicitor can help you check the notice and prepare for a hearing.