Stage 2: Starting court proceedings for possession (accelerated possession)

Use this covering letter to a county court to enclose the form and supporting documents needed to issue a claim for possession using the accelerated possession procedure for a property let under an assured shorthold tenancy agreement.

You will need to have already completed claim form N5B. You can use our document Form N5B - Claim for possession of property (accelerated procedure) to do this.

Use this court form to apply for a county court possession order for a property let under an assured shorthold tenancy agreement (AST) in England. It will create cover sheets for you to attach supporting documents to, if your circumstances require it.

To use this form, all of the following must be true:

• You're claiming possession of a property rented under a AST that began on or after 28 February 1997.
• All the fixed-term or contractual periodic AST agreements with the tenants are written.
• All of the tenants are individuals (i.e. not companies or organisations).
• At least one of the tenants occupies the property as their only home.
• None of the tenants are employed as an agricultural worker.
• If there is more than one landlord, none of them operate as a business.
• A section 21 notice has been served on the all the tenants at the same time and in the same way.
• Your claim is only for possession of your property and doesn't include any other claim (e.g. rent arrears).
• If you've received a deposit, you've paid it into a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme.
• If the first or latest tenancy agreement is dated on or before 1st December 2003, you've paid any owed stamp duty.

Use this covering letter to a county court to enclose the form needed to apply for a judgment for possession against your tenant where they've failed to send the court their defence within the timeframe set by the court. This is known as a judgment in default.

To use this document, you should have issued a claim using claim form N5B (claim form for possession of property let under an assured shorthold tenancy agreement) for possession under the accelerated possession procedure for a property in England. You should also have completed the application form for judgment in default (which is provided by the court).

Note: The tenant(s) have 14 days from the date of service of form N5B to send their defence to the court. If the court receives their defence after the 14 days expired, but before you apply for a judgment in default, their defence will be accepted by the court - so don't delay sending this document.

This document creates a schedule of costs to be used in general court proceedings by a litigant acting in person when applying to recover their costs of time spent and expenses incurred in conducting a claim.