The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, marking the most significant shift in English residential tenancy law in a generation. At its heart is the abolition of Section 21, the mechanism that allowed landlords to evict tenants without providing a reason. From 1 May 2026, this so-called “no-fault eviction” route will no longer exist.
Both landlords and tenants need to understand what this means in practice and what steps to take before the change comes into force.
What Is Section 21 and Why Is It Being Abolished?
Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 allowed landlords to end an assured shorthold tenancy without giving any reason, provided they gave the tenant two months’ notice. Critics argued this created insecurity for tenants, who could be removed from their homes with little justification.
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 ends that regime entirely, replacing it with a system requiring landlords to prove a specific legal ground before recovering possession.
The Critical Deadlines Every Landlord Must Know
The last date to serve a valid Section 21 notice is 30 April 2026. Any notice served on or after 1 May 2026 will be invalid, and landlords who attempt to serve one face a civil penalty of up to £7,000.
If a valid Section 21 notice has been served before 30 April 2026, landlords retain the right to begin court possession proceedings on that notice up until 31 July 2026. After that date, the transitional window closes entirely and the new regime takes full effect.
What Happens to Tenancies After 1 May 2026?
The Act converts all private tenancies into periodic (rolling) tenancies. Fixed-term tenancies will no longer exist in the private rented sector. This means:
- Tenants can end their tenancy by giving two months’ notice at any time
- Landlords must rely on one of the statutory grounds for possession under Section 8
- The accelerated possession procedure is abolished
Tenants gain genuine security of tenure, while landlords must demonstrate a legitimate reason to recover their property.
Section 8: The Sole Eviction Route from May 2026
Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 becomes the only route to possession. Landlords must specify one or more of 17 grounds when seeking to evict. These fall into mandatory and discretionary categories.
Key mandatory grounds include:
- Ground 1 (Landlord Moving In): Requires four months’ notice. Cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy.
- Ground 1A (Selling the Property): Also requires four months’ notice and is subject to the 12-month moratorium.
- Serious Rent Arrears: The threshold has increased from two months to three months (13 weeks for weekly rents). Arrears must exist both at the time of the notice and at the date of the court hearing.
- Anti-Social Behaviour: Persistent or serious conduct by the tenant or their visitors Discretionary grounds give the court flexibility to refuse possession even where a ground is proven.
The 12-Month Protected Period
During the first 12 months of any tenancy, landlords cannot use Ground 1 or Ground 1A to evict a tenant in order to sell the property or move in. This prevents those grounds from being used as a disguised alternative to Section 21 in early tenancies.
What Tenants Should Know
Tenants cannot be removed from their home simply because a landlord chooses not to renew a tenancy. If a landlord attempts to evict after 1 May 2026, they must specify a ground and follow a formal court process. Tenants who receive a Section 21 notice before 30 April 2026 should take legal advice immediately, the notice may be defective and therefore invalid even under the current rules.
Practical Steps for Landlords Now
- Review your tenancy portfolio and identify any properties where possession may be needed before May 2026.
- Familiarise yourself with Section 8 grounds and the notice periods required for each.
- Keep rent arrears records current, the new mandatory ground requires evidence at both notice and hearing stage.
- Ensure compliance with tenancy deposit, EPC, and How to Rent obligations, as failures here can block Section 8 claims.
- Seek legal advice if uncertain, the civil penalty for serving an invalid Section 21 notice is up to £7,000.
The abolition of Section 21 from 1 May 2026 is a fundamental rebalancing of rights between landlords and tenants. Landlords who plan carefully within the transition window and understand the new Section 8 framework will be best placed to navigate the reformed landscape.