Eviction process timeline: notice, court & bailiff dates

Pick your ground(s), the date you'll serve the notice and, for rent arrears, the rent and arrears. The tool gives the earliest date you can go to court, checks the Ground 8 threshold and projects typical court dates from Ministry of Justice figures.

Information, not legal advice. Know Your Let is not a law firm and does not act in court cases. We can help with the notice stage (see pricing); court claims and hearings are for you or a solicitor.

The eviction process in England, step by step

Stage	What happens	Typical time
1. Section 8 notice	Serve Form 3A with the full legal wording of each ground and your reasons.	2 weeks to 4 months, by ground
2. Claim	Issue online (PCOL, rent-only claims) or on paper (N5 + N119). Fee £415.	After the notice date, within 12 months of service
3. Hearing and order	Every section 8 claim has a hearing. The judge can make an outright or suspended order, adjourn or dismiss.	Median 8.0 wks from claim
4. Date to leave	On a mandatory ground usually within 14 days of the order; up to 6 weeks if the tenant shows exceptional hardship.	2–6 weeks
5. Warrant	If the tenant stays, apply on N325 (fee £152). The tenant gets at least 14 days' notice of the eviction appointment.	Median 13.3 wks from claim
6. Bailiff eviction	County court bailiffs carry it out, or High Court enforcement officers if the court allows a transfer.	Median 8.7 wks after the warrant

Timings: MoJ Mortgage and landlord possession statistics, private landlord standard claims, Q2 2026. National figures – MoJ does not publish timings per court. See eviction courts for local volumes.

Before the clock starts: rent arrears

Ground 8 needs at least 3 months' rent unpaid (monthly rent) or 13 weeks' rent (weekly or fortnightly rent) both on the day you serve the notice and on the hearing day. So from the first missed payment, a Ground 8 case usually waits about three months before the notice can even be served. Grounds 10 and 11 can be used for smaller or repeated arrears, but the judge decides whether possession is reasonable. See Ground 8 explained.

Common questions

How long is the eviction process in the UK in 2026?

In England, allow for the notice period (4 weeks for rent arrears grounds, 4 months for selling or moving in), then the court stage. For private landlords' claims in Q2 2026, the median was 8 weeks from claim to possession order and 24.6 weeks from claim to bailiff repossession (MoJ).

How long do possession proceedings take?

Median 8 weeks from issuing the claim to a possession order, and 13.3 weeks to a warrant for bailiffs, for private landlords in Q2 2026. Averages are longer (11.1 and 19.4 weeks) because some cases are adjourned or defended.

What is the minimum notice time for an eviction?

It depends on the ground. Since 1 May 2026: 2 weeks for grounds such as 12, 13, 15 and 17; 4 weeks for rent arrears (8, 10, 11); 2 months for grounds such as 7 and 9; 4 months for 1, 1A and 6. Grounds 7A and 14 (antisocial behaviour) allow a claim straight away.

How can I evict a tenant quickly?

There is no lawful shortcut past the court. What saves time is getting the notice right first time (correct ground, full legal wording, right dates), serving it provably, and having a clear rent statement ready. Errors are the main cause of restarts and adjournments.

Eviction process timeline: from notice to bailiffs

The eviction process in England, step by step

Before the clock starts: rent arrears

Common questions

Want the notice done properly?

Related guides

Sources