After serving Section 8 — week by week
What actually happens, and what you should be doing each week.
Once the notice is served, most landlords feel relieved and then panicked. Here is the realistic timeline of what to expect.
Week 1: confirm service, expect a response
Confirm your service records are clean. Most tenants respond within a week — paying, promising to pay, denying liability, or saying they will leave. Save every message.
Week 2-3: assemble evidence
Start the court bundle now, not after the notice expires. Pull tenancy, deposit certificate, gas safety, EPC, rent ledger, photographs, correspondence. The hearing comes faster than you think.
Week 4: notice expiry (4-week grounds)
If the longest ground was 4 weeks (rent arrears), the notice expires. Apply to court the next day (form N5 with N119 particulars). Pay the fee.
Weeks 5-12: waiting for hearing date
Court allocates a date typically 8-12 weeks after filing. Keep the tenancy in good order: do necessary repairs, continue accepting partial rent, keep records.
Week 13+: hearing and aftermath
Attend in person. Bring originals plus 2 copies. Be polite, fact-focused. Court usually grants the order if grounds are proved. The order gives the tenant 14 days to leave (extended to 28 in hardship cases).
Source: gov.uk Guide to the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Last verified 2026-05-09. This page is informational, not legal advice. For complex disputes, consult a solicitor.