The Section 21 Replacement Toolkit

Where things stand on 1 November 2026

Section 21 “no fault” notices could not be served on private tenancies in England from 1 May 2026. Notices served before then could only be relied on if possession proceedings were issued by 31 July 2026. That window has closed.

Since 1 May 2026, the only notice that ends a private assured tenancy is a section 8 notice on Form 3A, or a form substantially to the same effect. It must name the ground or grounds, give the correct notice period for each, and set out the substance of the ground and your reasons for relying on it.

That is a higher bar than Section 21 ever was. Section 8 possession is won or lost on three things: the right ground, the right notice, and evidence that proves it. The toolkit below is built around those three.

For the detail behind the change, read Section 21 abolished: what replaced it and our full guide to Section 8 grounds.

What is in the toolkit

The Section 21 Replacement Toolkit is not a separate product. It is how the tools already included in every TLA membership tier work together when you need possession.

AI Document Studio – statutory notices

Generates statutory notices, including Section 8 notices, and compliance forms. You answer questions about the tenancy and the ground; AI Document Studio builds the document.

ORBIT – the evidence record

ORBIT keeps a timeline for each property and tenancy: start dates, certificates, compliance status and the events that matter if you end up in court. Automated alerts flag when certificates are due, so a lapsed gas safety record or unprotected deposit does not undermine your claim later.

RRA Compliance Checker – the agreement audit

Upload your tenancy agreement and compliance documents. The Checker audits them, checks Renters’ Rights Act readiness, identifies missing clauses and flags legal risks, then produces a remediation report. Problems found before you serve notice are far cheaper than problems found by a judge.

Legal advice – when the case needs a lawyer

Contested possession, mixed grounds or a tenant with a defence needs professional judgement. Book legal advice through TLA before you serve, not after the claim is dismissed.

The grounds landlords use most

These notice periods come from the GOV.UK grounds for possession guidance. Check the guidance and your facts before relying on any ground.

Ground 8 cannot be used if arrears fall below the threshold by the hearing, or if they result from unpaid Universal Credit. After serving notice on Ground 1 or 1A, you must not re-let or market the property for letting during a restricted period that runs until 12 months after the notice ends. Breach is a criminal offence.

How the toolkit works, step by step

1. Audit the tenancy first. Upload the agreement to the RRA Compliance Checker. Confirm the deposit was protected and prescribed information given – for most grounds, possession depends on it.
2. Check the compliance record. Use ORBIT to confirm gas safety, EICR and EPC records are current and on file for the property, and that the tenancy timeline is complete.
3. Choose the ground. Match your facts to the ground and its conditions. If more than one ground applies, or the facts are disputed, book legal advice.
4. Build the notice. Generate the Section 8 notice in AI Document Studio, with the ground, the substance of it, your reasons and the correct notice period.
5. Serve it and record service. Serve in a way permitted by the tenancy and the notice requirements, and record the date and method on the property timeline in ORBIT.
6. Gather evidence while the notice runs. Rent statements for arrears, photos for damage, witness statements for antisocial behaviour, and proof of intent such as an estate agent instruction for a sale.
7. Apply to court if the tenant does not leave. Claims based only on rent arrears can go online; other grounds use paper forms N5 and N119 with a copy of the notice. GOV.UK lists the court fee as £415.

You cannot remove a tenant yourself. Only court bailiffs or High Court enforcement officers can enforce a possession order, and illegal eviction is a criminal offence.

Why connected tools matter for Section 8

Section 21 forgave a lot. You did not need to prove anything about the tenant, only that your paperwork was in order. Section 8 asks you to prove the ground as well.

That means the notice, the evidence and the compliance record have to agree with each other. If your notice says arrears reached three months on a date your rent statement contradicts, or your deposit protection cannot be shown, the claim is at risk.

Keeping documents in AI Document Studio and the record in ORBIT means the facts in your notice and the facts on your timeline come from the same place. Fewer gaps, fewer adjourned hearings, less time lost.

Before you need possession

The best possession case starts at the beginning of the tenancy. Prior written notice is required for some grounds, including 2ZA, 2ZB, 4A and 5C, so that notice needs to be given at the right time to be usable later.

A tenancy agreement built for the Renters’ Rights Act, a protected deposit, and a complete compliance record are what make Section 8 workable. Our AI tenancy agreement generator covers the agreement side.

Included in every membership tier

AI Document Studio, ORBIT and the RRA Compliance Checker are included in every annual TLA membership: Landlord £149, Plus £199 and Premium £299. Tiers differ in level of service – see plans.