A landlord starting court proceedings to repossess your home means court papers in the post. The key document is Form N5, the Claim Form for Possession of
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A landlord starting court proceedings to repossess your home means court papers in the post. The key document is Form N5, the Claim Form for Possession of Property. Knowing what it is, what it holds, and what you must do matters greatly. Never ignore it.
What is Form N5?
Form N5 is the formal paper starting a possession claim in the county court. Receiving it means:
- The landlord has issued court proceedings against you
- A hearing date is set, shown on the form
- Your time to respond runs limited
The N5 arrives together with:
- Form N119, in a standard claim: the grounds and details
- Form N11 or N11R, the defence form you respond on
Some tenants may still receive Form N5B, the version for the paper-only "accelerated" procedure built on Section 21. Since the Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished Section 21, that route covers only claims started under the old rules.
What information does N5 contain?
The N5 sets out:
- The claimant, your landlord, and the defendant, you
- The address of the home
- The grounds relied on. Since the Renters' Rights Act 2025, new claims rest on Section 8 grounds. Older pre-abolition claims may still cite Section 21.
- Any money claim, rent arrears say
- The hearing date and time
- The court holding the hearing
How long do I have to respond?
The defence form, N11 or N11R, must reach the court before the hearing, usually at least 14 days ahead. The exact deadline sits on the paperwork. An accelerated claim, N5B, gives 14 days from the date on the form.
Never miss the deadline. Silence can end in a possession order made without you heard.
What can I put in my defence?
Your defence follows the grounds used.
A claim resting on an old Section 21 notice, served before abolition:
- Challenge the notice's validity; see our guide: /help-centre/what-is-a-section-21-notice-is-it-still-legal
- Was the deposit properly protected, with the prescribed information served?
- Did the required papers come before the tenancy began?
- Was the notice served while an improvement or remedial action notice ran?
- Was it served in the tenancy's first four months?
A Section 8 claim:
- Challenge the specific grounds relied on
- For Ground 8, serious arrears: show the arrears fall below the threshold, or that a disrepair counterclaim should be set against them
In all cases:
- Disrepair can matter. A disrepair claim can be raised in the proceedings; your solicitor advises how.
- Exceptional circumstances let you ask the court to push back the possession date
Do I need legal advice?
Yes, wherever possible. Possession proceedings can end in a lost home, so the stakes run high. Free advice comes from:
- Your council's housing advice service
- Legal aid housing solicitors (if you qualify)
- Law centres
- Citizens Advice
No advice in time? Attend the hearing anyway and ask the judge for more time. Judges usually grant a short pause where legal advice is being sought.
Attending the hearing
The hearing address and time sit on the N5. Arrive early and tell the court clerk you are the defendant. Many courts run duty advisers or legal aid duty solicitors at possession hearings. Ask whether one is free.
What if you also have a disrepair claim?
Disrepair the landlord has not fixed may mean a claim running beside, or even inside, the possession case. Disrepair stops no possession claim by itself. But it can matter to:
- The size of any arrears: a disrepair award may cancel some of the debt
- The court's discretion over whether to order possession, and on what terms
When should I contact Support for Tenants?
Facing possession while the home carries damp, mould, broken heating, or other disrepair? Call us on 0800 030 4669.
No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Sources
Related articles
- What happens at a possession hearing?
- Accelerated possession, what it is and what to do
- What is a Section 21 notice?
- Section 8 eviction explained
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only, not a promise; every case is different.
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Still stuck?
Call us free or start a claim online. We'll tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.