This Section 21 Notice to Terminate an Assured Shorthold Tenancy
(England) (also known as Form 6A) is the form prescribed under Section
21 of the Housing Act 1988 (for properties in England) for a Landlord
to serve on an Assured Shorthold Tenant. It confirms that the Assured
Shorthold Tenancy (AST) will come to an end on a date specified in the
Notice. That date may be the last day of the fixed term or a later
date.
The notice has been updated to reflect the extended notice period (of three
months) provided for in the Coronavirus Act 2020 for notices served up to
30 September 2020.
For properties in Wales please see the Section 21 Notice (Wales).
This document is in PDF format and the up to date version of it can be
found on the government website by clicking on this link to the relevant
page:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/assured-tenancy-forms#form-6a
.
Once you have opened the template form on the government website, you
should save a copy to a location of your choice and then you can complete
that copy.
Section 21 Notice (Form 6A) can be served on the Tenant by using our
Covering Letter for Section 21 Notice (England). This letter can set out
practical arrangements for vacating the Property.
Housing Law permits an Assured Shorthold Tenant to remain in occupation of
the Property after the end of the fixed term of his Tenancy, unless the
Landlord has served a valid Section 21 Notice (Form 6A). The Tenancy
becomes a “periodic” AST.
Please note that the Section 21 Notice (Form 6A) is only suitable for ASTs.
It cannot be used to terminate any other type of tenancy. Consider using a
Section 8 Notice Seeking Possession or a Notice to Quit instead. These
documents can be found in our “Terminating Tenancies” folder.
Serving a Section 21 Notice (Form 6A) is effectively the first step in the
Accelerated Procedure for repossession of properties let on ASTs. If the
court is satisfied that a valid Section 21 Notice (Form 6A) has been
served, it will order the Tenant to vacate the Property.
The termination date specified must, in normal circumstances, be at least 2
months after the Notice is received by the Tenant. However, until 30
September 2020, the termination date must be at least 3 months after the
notice is received. The earliest termination date is the end of the fixed
term of the Tenancy. The termination date may fall at any time during the
periodic tenancy.
Landlords need to have complied with certain legal obligations before they
can serve a valid Section 21 Notice (Form 6A). See the Guidance on Section
8 and Section 21 Notices for further information.