Section 8 notices and possession cases, step by step.
Since Section 21 was abolished, regaining possession in England means a Section 8 notice and, often, a court claim. RentFig walks you through the official Form 3A, works out the notice dates and arrears from your records, then tracks the case — claim, hearing, order, warrant and eviction — with reminders before each date and the N5 and N119 court forms filled in. It's a guide, not legal advice.
Standard and Business plans · England only
From notice to possession
Step 1: Build the notice
Check the notice is the right one, choose your grounds, and RentFig fills in Form 3A with the dates and, for arrears, a schedule from your rent ledger.
Step 2: Serve it and start the case
Email it to the tenant from RentFig with a delivery log (where your tenancy agreement allows email service), or record a notice you served another way. The case opens automatically, and form N215 can be filled in as proof of service.
Step 3: Go to court
When the notice period ends, RentFig fills in forms N5 and N119 from the case and your records, ready for you to check, sign and send.
Step 4: Track every date
Enter the dates from the court's letters — claim number, hearing, order, warrant, eviction — and RentFig reminds you before each one.
What the tracker does
Section 8 notice wizard
Six steps, including checks that the notice suits your tenancy. Supports Grounds 1, 1A, 2, 7A, 7B, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 14ZA, 15 and 17 on the current Form 3A, with a weekly check for a new version on GOV.UK.
Notice dates worked out
The longest notice period across your grounds, the immediate start for Grounds 7A and 14, and the rule that Grounds 1 and 1A can't take effect in the first year of the tenancy.
Arrears from your ledger
An arrears schedule built from your rent records, with a check on whether the Ground 8 threshold of 3 months' (or 13 weeks') rent is met today.
Seven-stage case tracker
Notice served, notice period, court claim, hearing, possession order, warrant and eviction — each stage worked out from the dates you enter.
Reminders before every date
Before the notice lapses, when the claim can start, before the hearing and documents deadline, before possession and eviction — on your dashboard, planner and by email.
N5 and N119 filled in
The official court forms completed from the case and your records, with continuation sheets and the arrears schedule.
Evidence checklist
Shows what your RentFig records hold for court — the notice, proof of service, agreement, deposit protection, prescribed information and rent statement.
Deposit warning
Warns you where an unprotected deposit could affect the grounds you've chosen.
Everything on one record
Court letters, notes and files on the case history, included in the tenancy's evidence bundle export.
What it doesn't do
- It isn't legal advice and never tells you which ground to use. Speak to a solicitor if the tenant defends the claim, and before serving a notice on anti-social behaviour grounds.
- It doesn't file anything with the court or Possession Claim Online — you submit the claim yourself.
- It doesn't fill in the warrant forms (N325) or the EX96/EX97A fee forms.
- It doesn't serve notices by post or check a notice you served elsewhere.
- It covers England only, and doesn't support Section 21 (abolished) or every Section 8 ground.
- It can't calculate the Ground 8 threshold for quarterly or yearly rent.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still use a Section 21 notice?
No. Section 21 no-fault eviction was abolished in England from 1 May 2026 under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. For assured tenancies, possession now runs through a Section 8 notice on one or more grounds, using Form 3A.
Which Section 8 grounds does RentFig support?
Grounds 1, 1A, 2, 7A, 7B, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 14ZA, 15 and 17. RentFig never tells you which ground to use — you choose, and it fills in the notice and works out the dates. Ground 4A (student HMOs) isn't in the wizard; RentFig has a template for the written notice you must give at the start of the tenancy to rely on it later.
Does RentFig take my case to court?
No. It prepares forms N5 and N119 from your records and tracks the dates, but you submit the claim yourself, on paper or through Possession Claim Online for rent-only claims. Read every page before you sign it — you're responsible for what it says.
Which plan includes the possession tracker?
Standard and Business. On other plans a case can be viewed but not changed.
Is this legal advice?
No. RentFig is a guide that works from the records you've entered. Possession law is strict and mistakes can cost months — take advice from a housing solicitor if anything is unclear, and especially if the tenant defends the claim.
Keep a possession case on track.
The notice, the dates and the court forms in one place — so nothing slips while you wait for the court.