Section 8 Notice — Form 3A — landlord obligations in England
If you want to end an assured tenancy for a legal reason, you must serve the tenant a notice using Form 3A (the official prescribed Section 8 notice form). This form must correctly specify the legal reason or reasons you are relying on and the notice period. From 1 May 2026, Form 3A is mandatory for all assured tenancies.
The law that creates this obligation
Your obligations as a landlord
- Who this applies to: All landlords seeking possession of a dwelling let on an assured tenancy or assured agricultural occupancy.
- When it applies: When you wish to seek possession — before starting any court proceedings.
- What you must do: Serve a Form 3A notice on the tenant with correct ground(s) and notice period, and keep a record of service.
What good evidence looks like
Your compliance file should contain
- Written record or document confirming this obligation has been met
- Date of compliance — email timestamp, signed receipt, or platform log
- Before serving notice, ensure ground(s) and notice period are correct; no automatic reminder but deadline for service depends on ground.
Upload a copy of the Form 3A served on the tenant with record of service date.
Record this obligation in your LettingsLedger workspace
Upload evidence, set reminders, and build a timestamped compliance record — all in one place.
Consequences of non-compliance
The notice is invalid and cannot be used to start possession proceedings — you will have to start again.
Further reading for landlords
LettingsLedger is a compliance evidence governance platform. It is not a legal services provider and does not provide legal advice. Content is derived from UK primary legislation at legislation.gov.uk and official GOV.UK sources. Reflects the position as at June 2026. A GovProtocol product by Pertheo Limited.