Stage 1: Before you start court proceedings (accelerated possession)

About this service

The documents contained in this pack include everything you will need before you can start court proceedings to claim back possession of your property if it is rented using an assured shorthold tenancy agreement.

Begin the process by using the document 'Notice under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988' along with its associated covering letter. (Please note that you cannot use this section 21 notice if you taken a deposit but have not sent to your tenants a notice of the government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme that you are using. If you have not yet done this, you should use the document 'Notice to tenant(s) of deposit protection scheme' first.)

Once you have correctly served the section 21 notice, use Form N215 - Certificate of service to record how and when the section 21 notice was served.

If the tenants do not move out of the property in the time stipulated in the section 21 notice, you can move to stage two in the process by using our pack 'Stage two: Start court proceedings for possession (accelerated possession)'.

Pack documents:

  • Notice to tenant(s) of deposit protection scheme
  • Notice under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988
  • Covering letter for section 21 notice
  • Form N215 - Certificate of service

This product is suitable for use in: England

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Included in this service:

  • Notice to tenant(s) of deposit protection scheme
    Use this document to meet your legal requirements after taking a deposit from a tenant (now known as contract holders in Wales). It tells tenants which deposit protection scheme is used and, together with the scheme documents that must be provided with this notice, gives them the 'prescribed information' required by law.

    Protect the deposit and give this notice and the scheme documents to the tenant within 30 days of the tenant paying the deposit. At the same time, you should also send it (together with the scheme documents) to anyone who paid the deposit for the tenant and, in order to avoid any dispute, the tenant's guarantors (if any).

  • Covering letter for section 21 notice
    This document creates a covering letter for a landlord serving a notice seeking possession under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 on their tenants. To use this document, you will need to have details of the tenancy agreement to hand. You will also need to attach the notice to the letter.
  • Form N215 - Certificate of service
    The N215 certificate of service should generally be completed after having sent any court documents, such as claim forms or applications to the court, or other important documents to an opponent after (or sometimes before) court proceedings have begun. The form provides evidence that the documents have been served on an opponent. It is only suitable for claims within England & Wales.
  • Notice under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988
    This is the formal notice that you must serve on (i.e. give to) your tenant to tell them that you're seeking possession of your property under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.

    Please note that this document can only be used in relation to properties in England, where an assured shorthold tenancy agreement is in place.

Useful information

What is a deposit protection scheme?

By law, landlords taking deposits for assured shorthold tenancies are required to safeguard their tenants' deposits through the registration with an approved deposit protection scheme.

How do I give notice to my tenants?

If you have rented out your property under an 'Assured shorthold tenancy agreement', you're entitled to regain possession of it by notifying your tenant under the terms of Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 (known as a Section 21 Notice).
Compatible region(s): England

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