Section 8 eviction notices
Guide for private tenants with a section 8 notice.
Rent arrears and section 8
Missed payments and late rent are the most common reasons for a section 8 notice.
Your landlord might use one or more of these grounds on the notice:
ground 8 - you owe at least 3 months' rent
ground 10 - you owe some rent
ground 11 - you often pay your rent late
Your landlord will probably use ground 8 if you owe a lot of rent. They might wait until they can use this ground on the notice.
Changes to ground 8
The Renters' Rights Act increased the amount of rent you must owe before your landlord can use ground 8.
But the old rules still apply if you got your notice before 1 May 2026.
Table: Ground 8 on the notice
This table shows how much rent you must owe for your landlord to use ground 8.
Get your rent arrears below these levels before the hearing date if you can.
| Date you got the section 8 notice | Rent you owe |
|---|---|
| Before 1 May 2026 | 2 months' arrears or more |
| On or after 1 May 2026 | 3 months' arrears or more |
Paying back rent arrears can help stop your eviction.
Find out what happens at court.
Example: Section 8 notice for rent arrears
Mel rents from a private landlord. She tries to pay her rent in full and on time.
But Mel works on a zero hours contract. She has missed some payments and now owes more than 3 months' rent.
Her landlord gives her a section 8 notice. It lists grounds 8, 10 and 11.
Mel should:
try to pay off rent arrears or get them below 3 months
The court could stop the eviction if she can get her arrears below 3 months by the hearing.
Pay off rent arrears
Talk to your landlord about the missed payments and try to agree a repayment plan.
The court cannot usually stop a ground 8 eviction if you still owe a lot of rent at the hearing.
The court can stop an eviction on grounds 10 or 11. But you need to show you can:
pay your full rent
pay back the arrears over time
See our guide to rent arrears.
It has letter templates to send your landlord.
If you cannot afford rent or have other debts
You could:
Get free legal advice
Look for help as soon as you get a notice.
Find a legal adviser on GOV.UK.
Tick 'housing loss prevention advice service' on the search tool.
You could get more legal help if you get benefits or have a low income.
Last updated: 1 May 2026
