Form 3 section 8 notice: how to complete the new Form 3A
From 1 May 2026 private landlords in England give a section 8 notice on Form 3A. Download it free from GOV.UK – this page explains each box and how to serve it. We deliberately don't offer our own template.
Information, not legal advice. Know Your Let is not a law firm and does not act in court cases. We can help with the notice stage (see pricing); court claims and hearings are for you or a solicitor.
Get Form 3A and the legal wording from GOV.UK
What is Form 3A?
Form 3A is the "notice seeking possession of a property let on an assured tenancy or an assured agricultural occupancy in the private rented sector" (Housing Act 1988, section 8, as amended). It can be completed and signed electronically or by hand. It has six sections: tenant and property, earliest court date, latest court date, your reasons, your details, and information for the tenant.
Box by box
| Box | What it asks | How to complete it |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Tenant names | Every tenant on a joint tenancy, full names as on the tenancy. |
| 1.2 | Property address | The let property, including flat number and postcode. |
| 2.1 | Earliest date for court proceedings | At least the longest notice period of the grounds you use, counted from the date of service. For Grounds 1/1A it must also be at least 12 months after the tenancy started. |
| 3 | Latest date | Printed on the form: 12 months from service. Nothing to fill in, but diarise it. |
| 4.1 | Common reasons (optional) | Tick boxes that summarise the grounds for the tenant. Optional – it does not replace 4.2. |
| 4.2 | Grounds (mandatory) | The full statutory wording of each ground, copied from GOV.UK “Form 3A: legal wording for possession grounds”. The ground name alone is not enough. GOV.UK also advises adding its plain-English explanation of each ground. |
| 4.3 | Your explanation (mandatory) | A heading per ground and the facts: dates, amounts, what happened. For arrears, the rent, the arrears on the notice date and a rent statement. |
| 5.1–5.5 | Signature and details | Signed and dated by the landlord or an authorised agent; joint landlords either all sign or one signs for all. Give a name and address for contact. |
Work out the box 2.1 date with the notice period calculator.
How to serve a section 8 notice
- Check the tenancy agreement for a clause on how notices are served and to which address.
- Serve every named tenant. Keep an identical copy of what you served.
- Use a method you can prove: hand delivery with a witness, or post with proof of posting (allow for delivery when setting the box 2.1 date).
- Write down who served it, how and when. You'll use this for form N215 (certificate of service) if you go to court.
Common mistakes that get notices rejected
- Using an old Form 3 or a non-official "eviction notice template".
- Writing "Ground 8" without the statutory wording, or paraphrasing it.
- A box 2.1 date that is too early for one of the grounds used.
- Leaving out a joint tenant, or an unsigned or undated notice.
- Using Grounds 1/1A inside the first 12 months, or a prior-notice ground where the tenant was never warned.
After the notice: court forms
If the tenant stays past the box 2.1 date, the next forms are N5 and N119 (or Possession Claim Online for rent-only claims) – see possession claim forms. Example possession orders are made by the court; you don't draft them.
Common questions
What is Form 3A?
Form 3A is the prescribed “notice seeking possession” for assured tenancies in the private rented sector in England from 1 May 2026. Social landlords use Form 3. It replaced the old Form 3 for private landlords, and Form 6A (section 21) can no longer be used.
Is there a free eviction notice template?
The official Form 3A is free from GOV.UK. We don’t publish our own version: a form that differs from the prescribed one risks being invalid. Use the GOV.UK form and the guidance on this page.
How do I serve a section 8 notice?
Follow any notice clause in the tenancy agreement, serve every tenant, and keep proof – for example hand delivery with a witness and a dated photo, or post with proof of posting while allowing for delivery time. Form N215 records service when you go to court.
Can I use an old Form 3 I downloaded before?
Not for a private tenancy after 1 May 2026. Download the current Form 3A from GOV.UK each time.
Related guides
Grounds and notice periods.Ground 8 wording and threshold →
For rent arrears notices.Our notice-stage service →
Fixed price, notice only – no court work.Eviction timeline →
What happens after the notice.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Assured tenancy forms (Form 3A and legal wording for grounds)
- GOV.UK: Repossessing your privately rented property after 1 May 2026
- GOV.UK: Grounds for possession – guidance for landlords and letting agents
- legislation.gov.uk: Housing Act 1988, section 8 (notice periods, s8(4AA))
- GOV.UK: Form N215 – certificate of service
Last checked 28 Sep 2026. Figures and fees change; check the official source before you act.