Select the Section 8 ground you are relying on and the date you plan to serve. Get the earliest valid effective date, when you can apply to court, and a realistic possession timeline.
A Section 8 notice must give the tenant a minimum notice period before the effective date. The effective date is when the landlord can first apply to the county court for a possession order — but only if the tenant has not vacated and the grounds still apply.
Mandatory grounds (Ground 8, 1A, 1, 14) mean the court must grant possession if the ground is proven. Discretionary grounds mean the court weighs up circumstances and may or may not grant possession.
Always include Grounds 10 and 11 alongside Ground 8 in rent arrears cases — if arrears drop below the Ground 8 threshold before the hearing, Grounds 10/11 can still succeed.