Landlord Recovery Pack40+ cities covered

Tenant Not Paying Rent?
Here's What to Do.

Claim Builder helps UK landlords recover unpaid rent, serve the correct notices, and prepare court documents — without a solicitor. Find your city below or start your pack now.

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Section 8 & Section 21 drafts Court-ready documents Instant PDF download 40+ UK cities

£3.5B+

Rent arrears owed to UK landlords

40+

Cities covered with local guidance

6 yrs

Limitation period to claim

60-80%

Paid after a formal Letter Before Action

The Problem

When informal chasing stops working

Most landlords dealing with rent arrears follow the same pattern: a polite message, then another, then a call that doesn't get answered. For some tenants, that's enough. For others, it isn't.

At that point, informal pressure has run its course. The only thing that shifts the situation is formal legal action — and the Letter Before Action is that line. It communicates clearly that you have moved from polite requests to legal proceedings.

If the tenant is still in the property, you will also need to understand whether to serve a Section 8 notice (fault-based, using rent arrears grounds) or a Section 21 notice (no-fault, 2 months' notice). Claim Builder helps you prepare both.

Current tenants in arrears

Former tenants who left owing rent

HMO landlords

Letting agents acting for landlords

Tenant Recovery Pack

£99 — one-off payment

Everything a landlord needs to pursue unpaid rent and understand the possession process — without a solicitor.

  • Letter Before Action — formal demand with 14-day deadline
  • Rent Arrears Breakdown — month-by-month schedule of what is owed
  • Court Claim Draft — ready to file on Money Claims Online
  • Section 8 Notice Draft — Grounds 8, 10 and 11 guidance
  • Section 21 Notice Draft (Form 6A ready)
  • Evidence Checklist — what to gather before taking action
  • Recovery Plan — step-by-step guidance on what comes next
  • Notice Period Calculator — earliest court date for Section 8 or 21

One-off · Instant download · No subscription

The Process

What to do when a tenant stops paying rent

The steps below reflect the standard England and Wales process. Always check the official GOV.UK guidance before serving any notice.

1

Send a Letter Before Action

First step

A formal written demand giving the tenant 14 days to pay the outstanding arrears. Required before filing a court claim — and in many cases resolves the situation without further action.

2

Serve a Section 8 notice (if tenant is still in the property)

Tenant in property

If the tenant is still in the property and has at least 2 months' arrears, a Section 8 notice using Ground 8 (mandatory) is the most direct route to possession. Grounds 10 and 11 cover lower arrears and persistent late payment. Minimum 14 days' notice.

3

Consider serving a Section 21 notice simultaneously

Dual notice strategy

Many landlords serve both notices at the same time. Section 21 (no-fault, 2 months' notice) gives you a second route to possession if the Section 8 hearing is delayed or the tenant reduces arrears below the Ground 8 threshold. Check eligibility carefully — repair complaints can affect validity.

4

Apply to court if the tenant does not leave or pay

If unresolved

If the notice period expires and the tenant has not paid or vacated, apply to the court for a possession order and/or a money judgment for the arrears. For amounts under £10,000, this falls within the Small Claims Track.

Local Guidance

Find your city

Each city page includes local context, the full recovery process, and a direct link to start your Tenant Recovery Pack. The legal process is the same across England and Wales — but local context matters.

London

Greater London

8,100/mo

Manchester

Greater Manchester

2,900/mo

Birmingham

West Midlands

2,400/mo

Leeds

West Yorkshire

1,900/mo

Liverpool

Merseyside

1,600/mo

Sheffield

South Yorkshire

1,300/mo

Bristol

South West

1,200/mo

Newcastle

Tyne and Wear

1,100/mo

Nottingham

East Midlands

980/mo

Leicester

East Midlands

870/mo

Coventry

West Midlands

760/mo

Bradford

West Yorkshire

720/mo

Hull

East Yorkshire

680/mo

Southampton

Hampshire

650/mo

Portsmouth

Hampshire

610/mo

Reading

Berkshire

590/mo

Derby

East Midlands

560/mo

Stoke

Staffordshire

530/mo

Wolverhampton

West Midlands

510/mo

Oxford

Oxfordshire

490/mo

Cambridge

Cambridgeshire

470/mo

Norwich

Norfolk

450/mo

Brighton

East Sussex

440/mo

Exeter

Devon

420/mo

York

North Yorkshire

400/mo

Plymouth

Devon

390/mo

Sunderland

Tyne and Wear

370/mo

Middlesbrough

North Yorkshire

350/mo

Bolton

Greater Manchester

340/mo

Wigan

Greater Manchester

320/mo

Huddersfield

West Yorkshire

310/mo

Blackburn

Lancashire

300/mo

Preston

Lancashire

290/mo

Northampton

Northamptonshire

280/mo

Luton

Bedfordshire

270/mo

Cardiff

Wales

260/mo

Swansea

Wales

240/mo

Glasgow

Scotland

230/mo

Edinburgh

Scotland

220/mo

Belfast

Northern Ireland

210/mo

Don't see your city? Start your pack directly — the process is the same across England and Wales.

Notice Types

Section 8 vs Section 21 — which do you need?

Both notices can be served simultaneously. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right strategy for your situation.

Section 8 Notice

Fault-based — rent arrears

Ground 8 / 10 / 11
  • Requires at least 2 months' arrears for Ground 8 (mandatory)
  • Ground 10 covers any level of arrears
  • Ground 11 covers persistent late payment
  • Minimum 14 days' notice period
  • Court has discretion on Grounds 10 and 11
  • Tenant can defeat Ground 8 by clearing arrears before hearing
Best when arrears are significant and you want possession quickly

Section 21 Notice

No-fault — Form 6A required

No-fault route
  • No reason required — no-fault possession
  • Minimum 2 months' notice using Form 6A
  • Court must grant possession if notice is valid
  • Deposit must be protected and Prescribed Information served
  • EPC, Gas Safety Certificate, and How to Rent guide required
  • Cannot be served if tenant raised a repair complaint recently
Best when you want possession regardless of arrears — court must grant it if valid

Serve both at the same time?

Many landlords serve a Section 8 and Section 21 simultaneously. The Section 8 (14 days) expires first — so you can pursue court on Section 8 while the Section 21 (2 months) is still running. This keeps both routes open. Claim Builder includes both notice drafts in the pack.

FAQ

Tenant not paying rent — your questions answered

Further Reading

Related Resources

Guides and tools to help you understand the full landlord recovery process — from the first missed payment to court.

Landlord Guide

Section 8 Notice UK: Complete Guide

Which grounds to use, how to serve correctly, the Ground 8 trap, and what happens at the possession hearing.

Ground 8Ground 10Ground 11
11 min read
Landlord Guide

What to Do When Your Tenant Stops Paying Rent

Step-by-step from the first missed payment through to Section 8, Section 21, court claims and enforcement.

Section 8Section 21Rent arrears
12 min read
Landlord Guide

How to Recover Unpaid Rent in the UK

Full guide to recovering unpaid rent — from formal demand letters and county court claims to CCJ enforcement.

Rent arrearsCourt claimCCJ
10 min read

Tenant not paying. Time to act.

Get your Tenant Recovery Pack today — Letter Before Action, Section 8 draft, Section 21 draft, court particulars, and a step-by-step recovery plan. Instant download.

View Sample Report

One-off payment · Instant download · No subscription · Works for current & former tenants

Related:Unpaid Rent Recovery UKRent Arrears RecoveryTenant Recovery PackRecovery Guide (Blog)Tenant Stops Paying (Blog)Section 8 Notice GuideSample Report

Claim Builder is a document preparation and guidance tool. It does not provide legal advice. For official guidance on evicting tenants, visit GOV.UK.