Challenge Section 21 Notice Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to challenge an invalid Section 21 eviction notice, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong challenge section 21 notice should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Identify the specific notice, the date you received it and the ground number it names
• Ask the landlord to confirm which ground under Section 8 they are relying on
• Point out if the notice names no ground at all, so it cannot end an assured tenancy
• Point out if the notice period given is shorter than the period for that ground
• Note that on most grounds the court cannot make a possession order if your deposit was never protected in a government-approved scheme
• Ask the landlord to withdraw the notice if it is not valid
• State that you can only be required to leave by a court order carried out by court officers

What changed on 1 May 2026

Section 21 "no-fault" eviction notices were abolished in England on 1 May 2026 by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. A Section 21 notice given on or after that date is not valid at all, and almost all private tenancies became assured periodic tenancies with no end date. To end a tenancy now, a private landlord must give a Section 8 notice that names a legal reason, called a ground, wait the notice period for that ground, and then apply to the county court if you have not left. Grounds 1 to 8 are mandatory, so the court must order possession if the ground is proved; grounds 9 to 18 are discretionary, so the court also decides whether eviction is reasonable. If you were given a Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, it could only be used if your landlord started a court claim by 31 July 2026, or within 6 months of the notice if that was earlier.

What to include before you send it

• Confirmation of the specific notice received and the date
• The ground number on the notice, or the fact that it names none
• The defect you believe makes it invalid — no ground named, a notice period shorter than that ground allows, or a deposit that was never protected
• A clear statement that you don't accept the notice as valid on this basis
• A request for confirmation of the landlord's position given the defect identified

Why the ground and the notice period matter

A Section 8 notice has to name a ground, and each ground carries its own notice period — from 2 weeks for some discretionary grounds up to 4 months where a landlord wants to sell or move in. Grounds 1 and 1A also cannot end a tenancy in its first 12 months. So the ground written on your notice decides how much notice you are owed and whether the notice can be used at all, which is why it is worth checking the ground number rather than assuming a notice is valid because it looks correctly formatted. A notice running out does not by itself mean you have to leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my landlord still use a Section 21 notice?
No. Section 21 was abolished in England on 1 May 2026 under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, so a Section 21 notice given on or after that date is not valid. Your landlord has to use a Section 8 notice naming a ground. A Section 21 notice given before 1 May 2026 could only be used if a court claim was started by 31 July 2026, or within 6 months of the notice if that was earlier.

What should I do if I think my notice is invalid?
Don't simply leave based on an invalid notice — seek advice, and if the landlord proceeds to court, an invalid notice is a valid defence to the possession claim.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Landlord or Letting Agent Name]
[Landlord or Letting Agent Address]
[Landlord or Letting Agent Postcode]
[Date]

Dear [Landlord or Letting Agent Name],

Subject: Your notice seeking possession of [Your Address]

I am writing about the notice seeking possession of my home, which I received on [date].

[Choose and edit the points that apply:]
• [The notice names ground [number]. Please confirm which ground under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 you are relying on, and the reasons.]
• [The notice does not name any ground. Since 1 May 2026, a landlord must give a Section 8 notice naming a legal ground to end an assured tenancy, so this notice cannot end my tenancy.]
• [The notice gives [number] weeks' notice, which is shorter than the notice period for ground [number].]
• [If it is a Section 21 notice dated on or after 1 May 2026: Section 21 notices were abolished in England on 1 May 2026, so this notice is not valid.]
• [My deposit was never protected in a government-approved scheme. On most grounds, the court cannot make a possession order while that is the case.]

Please withdraw this notice if it is not valid. I intend to stay in my home. I understand that I can only be required to leave by a court order, carried out by court officers.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]

[Note for the page: This is for private renters in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different eviction rules.]