Section 21 Notice Validity Checker
Before you pack your bags or panic: over 40% of Section 21 notices served in England are legally defective. Answer these 7 factual questions to audit whether your landlord met the mandatory statutory prerequisites under the Housing Act 1988 and Deregulation Act 2015.
Step 1: Notice Basics
Step 2: Prescribed Legal Documents
The 7 Statutory Gates Explained
Gate 1: Form 6A Requirement
In England, any Section 21 notice served after 1 October 2015 must be on the official Government Form 6A. Letters from letting agents stating "we require possession" are legally invalid.
Gate 2: Two Months' Clear Notice
The notice must give at least 2 full calendar months. If served by second-class post, two working days must be added for deemed service. Short notices are null and void.
Gate 3: Tenancy Deposit Bar
If your deposit was not protected within 30 days of receipt, the landlord cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice until the deposit is returned in full or court proceedings conclude.
Gate 4: How to Rent Guide
The landlord must have given you the exact version of the Government's How to Rent guide in force when your tenancy began. Serving it after the eviction notice is completely ineffective.
Served with County Court Accelerated Possession papers (Form N5B)?
Do not ignore court papers. You have 14 calendar days to file your Defence (Form N11B). The Casewright Section 21 Eviction Defence Pack formats your statutory defences, links your supporting evidence, and provides an unanswerable defence bundle for the judge.