This is just a quick warning to everyone that if you want to serve a section 8 notice on tenants, that the new prescribed forms come into effect today, 6 April 2015.
If you use the old form your case may be thrown out by the Judge.
The reason new forms were needed is the new grounds for possession – grounds 7A and 14A.
So if you are serving a notice, or if you are a tenant and have been served a notice, you need to check it is the right one.
You can tell the new notice, as it has a bullet point about ground 7A after paragraph 5.
The section 8 notices have now been updated on my Landlord Law service, and for members, can be found >> here.
There are also minor changes to the notice to increase rent under s13, so you will also need to use this new form if you want to increase the rent by this method.
Of only passing interest to LLB readers I’m sure but there will also be a new form for a Section 83 notice, which is basically the same as a S8 but for councils and their tenants.
I doubt many PRS landlords will use S8 for the new grounds anyway, especially until there has been enough case law to iron out the kinks
What was the legislation that has brought about these amendments?
The Assured Tenancies and Agricultural Occupancies (Forms) (England) Regulations 2015
A further word of warning for those who use Gov.uk to download forms (here https://www.gov.uk/assured-tenancy-forms). Two months down the line and Gov.uk still hasn’t been amended in line with the changes made on the 6 April 2015, and you will be downloading the old prescribed section 8 notice.
That is outrageous! If any landlord association officials read this – this is something you should complain about.