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Form N6 UK: Demotion Claim & Right to Buy Suspension

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Part ofCounty Court Forms UK

Written by Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)
Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice.
Updated June 2026 · England & Wales
If you are a local authority, housing action trust, or a registered provider of social housing (a housing association), Form N6 is the county court claim form you use to ask the court either to demote a tenancy or to suspend a tenant's Right to Buy because of anti-social behaviour. It is not a form tenants use against landlords. The law behind Form N6 changed significantly on 1 May 2026: the Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished the assured shorthold tenancy regime, which removed the route housing associations previously used to demote assured tenancies. The local authority route — demoting a secure tenancy — is unaffected and works exactly as before. On this page I explain who can still use Form N6, what each route now involves, and what happens after you file. If you want to talk any of it through with an experienced legal adviser before you commit to a route, there is a phone option at the bottom.

At a glance

  • What Form N6 does: it starts a county court claim asking for a demotion order, a Right to Buy suspension order, or both.
  • Who can use it now: any social landlord for a Right to Buy suspension; local authorities and housing action trusts for a demotion order.
  • Key change from 1 May 2026: the Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished the assured shorthold tenancy regime, so housing associations can no longer demote an assured tenancy under section 6A of the Housing Act 1988.
  • Local authority demotion route still works: a demoted tenancy under section 82A of the Housing Act 1985 lasts one year under the Housing Act 1996, then reverts to a secure tenancy unless the landlord has served notice of possession proceedings.
  • Right to Buy suspension: available under section 121A of the Housing Act 1985 to any secure-tenancy landlord where anti-social conduct is proven; the suspension period is set — and can be extended — by the court.
  • Companion form required: particulars of claim must be filed on Form N122 alongside Form N6.
  • Wales is different: since 1 December 2022, Welsh community landlords generally use a prohibited conduct standard contract order under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 instead.

What this document is

Form N6 is a county court claim form issued by His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service. Social landlords use it to start either or both of two related court actions: a claim for a demotion order, and a claim for suspension of a tenant's Right to Buy. Claimants must also complete the particulars of claim on Form N122; the two forms are filed together.

A demotion order replaces a tenant's existing tenancy with a less secure tenancy for a fixed period, without ending the household's occupation outright. Until 1 May 2026 there were two routes onto this ladder: local authorities and housing action trusts could demote a secure tenancy under section 82A of the Housing Act 1985, and registered providers of social housing (housing associations) could demote an assured tenancy under section 6A of the Housing Act 1988. Both routes were introduced by the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003.

This changed on 1 May 2026. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished the assured shorthold tenancy regime across England, and the resulting tenancy created by a section 6A demotion order — a "demoted assured shorthold tenancy" defined by section 20B of the Housing Act 1988 — no longer exists as a category of tenancy. Section 6A itself, and the whole of Chapter II of Part I of the Housing Act 1988 that defined assured shorthold tenancies, were omitted with effect from that date. Housing associations can therefore no longer obtain a demotion order using this route. This does not affect local authorities or housing action trusts — the section 82A demotion route, and the resulting "demoted tenancy" under Part 5, Chapter 1A of the Housing Act 1996, are unaffected by the 2025 Act and continue to operate as before.

A suspension of Right to Buy, sought under section 121A of the Housing Act 1985, pauses a qualifying secure tenant's statutory ability to purchase their home for a period set by the court. This route is unaffected by the 2025 reforms and remains available to any social landlord with a secure tenant. Form N6 proceedings that are made other than as an alternative to a possession claim are governed by Section III of Part 65 of the Civil Procedure Rules (rules 65.14 to 65.19).

How to use this document

  1. Confirm which route is actually open to you. If you are a local authority or housing action trust with a secure tenant, the section 82A demotion route and the section 121A suspension route are both available. If you are a housing association or other registered provider of social housing, the demotion route under section 6A of the Housing Act 1988 is no longer available for new applications after 1 May 2026 — you will need to rely on the standard possession grounds instead, though you can still apply to suspend Right to Buy under section 121A for a qualifying secure tenant. Establish there is evidence of conduct that could justify the order you are seeking, such as anti-social behaviour or use of the property for an unlawful purpose.
  2. Serve a notice of intention. For a demotion claim under section 82A you must generally serve a statutory notice first, setting out the grounds and giving the tenant a period to respond before court action. Keep a copy of the notice and proof of service. Skipping this step, or getting the content wrong, is one of the most common reasons demotion claims fail at the first hearing.
  3. Complete Form N6 and Form N122. Fill in the claimant and defendant details, the address of the property, the type of tenancy, and exactly what order you are asking the court to make. The particulars of claim on Form N122 should set out the factual allegations, the grounds relied on, and the evidence you intend to produce, including witness statements, incident logs, and any police or community safety reports.
  4. File at the county court and pay the fee. A demotion or suspension claim made other than as an alternative to a possession claim can generally be started at any county court hearing centre, which will then send it to the hearing centre serving the area where the property is located. A court fee applies — check the current amount on GOV.UK's civil and family court fees page, as fees are reviewed periodically. The court will issue the claim, seal the documents, and return sealed copies for service on the tenant along with a hearing date.
  5. Attend the hearing and manage next steps. The tenant can file a defence on Form N11D, attend, produce evidence, and cross-examine witnesses. At the hearing the judge considers whether it is reasonable to make the order and whether the statutory grounds are satisfied. If a demotion order is made, the demoted tenancy begins immediately: for local authority and housing action trust tenants it lasts one year under the Housing Act 1996 unless the landlord serves notice of possession proceedings within that year. If a Right to Buy suspension order is granted, it specifies how long the suspension lasts, and the landlord can apply to extend it if the conduct continues.

This guide provides general information about Form N6 and the demotion and Right to Buy suspension regime in England. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for advice tailored to your specific circumstances. Wales operates a different system since 1 December 2022 under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. The law described was accurate as at August 2026 and is subject to change — always check GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk for the current position.

Last reviewed: August 2026 by a non-practising solicitor · Next review due: August 2027 or on legislative change.

Common questions

Q Who can actually use Form N6?
Form N6 is only for social landlords: local housing authorities, housing action trusts, and registered providers of social housing such as housing associations. Private landlords do not use this form, because the demotion regime and Right to Buy only exist within the social housing framework. Since 1 May 2026, only local authority and housing action trust landlords can use it for demotion, because the housing association route to demoting an assured tenancy was abolished by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Any social landlord can still use it to apply for a Right to Buy suspension. If you are a private landlord, a section 8 or (before 1 May 2026) section 21 notice is the relevant route instead.
Q What changed for housing associations on 1 May 2026?
Before 1 May 2026, a housing association or other registered provider of social housing could apply under section 6A of the Housing Act 1988 to demote an assured tenancy to a demoted assured shorthold tenancy. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished the assured shorthold tenancy regime — including section 6A and section 20B of the Housing Act 1988, which defined the demoted assured shorthold tenancy — with effect from 1 May 2026. Housing associations can no longer create a new demoted tenancy this way. They still have the standard possession routes for anti-social behaviour, and can still apply to suspend a qualifying tenant's Right to Buy under section 121A of the Housing Act 1985.
Q What is the difference between demotion and eviction?
Eviction ends the tenancy and removes the tenant from the property. Demotion does not end the tenancy outright — it replaces it with a less secure tenancy for a fixed period, currently used only for local authority and housing action trust tenants. A demoted tenancy created under section 82A of the Housing Act 1985 runs for one year under Part 5, Chapter 1A of the Housing Act 1996, and gives the landlord an easier route to possession if the behaviour continues, without immediately displacing the household. Landlords sometimes prefer demotion as a proportionate first step, particularly where there are children or vulnerable occupants involved.
Q On what grounds can the Right to Buy be suspended?
A suspension order can be sought under section 121A of the Housing Act 1985 where a secure tenant, or a person residing in or visiting the property, has engaged or threatened to engage in conduct that is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance and relates to the landlord's housing management functions, or has used the property for an unlawful purpose. The court has to be satisfied it is reasonable to make the order. A suspension does not cancel the Right to Buy permanently — it pauses it for the period the court specifies, and the court can extend that period on a further application if the conduct continues.
Q Does the tenant get a chance to respond?
Yes. After Form N6 is served, the tenant receives the claim documents, the particulars of claim (Form N122), and details of the hearing. They can file a defence on Form N11D, attend the hearing, produce their own evidence, and cross-examine the landlord's witnesses. The court will not make a demotion or suspension order without hearing both sides and being satisfied the legal test is met. Tenants are strongly encouraged to seek advice early.
Q How long does a demotion order last?
For a local authority or housing action trust tenant, a demoted tenancy created under section 82A of the Housing Act 1985 becomes a secure tenancy again automatically after one year, under section 143B of the Housing Act 1996 — unless the landlord serves notice of proceedings for possession before the year ends, in which case the reduced security continues until those proceedings are resolved. During the demoted year, if the landlord serves a valid notice and brings possession proceedings, the path to a possession order is far shorter than it would have been under the original secure tenancy.
Q What evidence does the court expect to see?
Courts expect clear, documented evidence of the conduct relied on. That typically includes dated incident logs, witness statements from neighbours or staff, police reports or crime reference numbers, housing officer records, and any previous warnings or acceptable behaviour contracts. The stronger the paper trail, the more likely the court is to accept that an order is reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.
Q Can a demotion order be appealed?
Yes. Either party can seek permission to appeal a decision of the county court, usually to a circuit judge. Appeals must be lodged within strict time limits — normally 21 days from the decision under the Civil Procedure Rules — and need proper grounds. Simply disagreeing with the outcome is not enough; there must be an arguable error of law or a serious procedural irregularity.
Q Does this apply the same way in Wales?
No. Since 1 December 2022, most social housing tenancies in Wales have been converted into occupation contracts under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Community landlords in Wales use a different mechanism — a prohibited conduct standard contract order — rather than a demotion order, and there is a separate Welsh version of Form N6 for claims relating to tenancies where the relevant notice was served before that conversion. If your property is in Wales, check the current Welsh guidance before relying on anything in this guide about the demotion order route.

Sources

This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.

Brad Askew, Solicitor (non-practising)

Written & reviewed by

Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)

Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice. LegalDocuments.co.uk is not a law firm and does not provide regulated legal advice.

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Legal disclaimer
This article is for general information only. It is a tool to help you find your way — not legal advice, and not a substitute for speaking to a qualified adviser about your situation.