The abolition of Section 21 is set to become one of the biggest changes the private rented sector has seen in decades. From 1 May 2026, landlords in England will no longer be able to use Section 21 ‘no-fault evictions’ to regain possession of their properties, marking the end of the current assured shorthold tenancy system.
Under the new Renters’ Rights Act, landlords will instead need to rely on revised Section 8 grounds if they want to evict a tenant. The reforms are designed to provide renters with greater security while changing how landlords manage tenancies and possession claims moving forward.
The final day landlords can legally serve a valid Section 21 notice will be 30 April 2026. After that date, any attempt to issue a new notice under Section 21 will be invalid and could potentially lead to financial penalties.
For years, Section 21 has allowed landlords to recover possession of a property without needing to provide a specific reason. Landlords simply had to give tenants at least two months’ written notice using the government’s official Form 6A, provided certain legal requirements had been met.
Because landlords did not need to prove wrongdoing by the tenant, the process became widely known as a “no-fault eviction”. While many landlords used the system responsibly, critics argued that the law left tenants vulnerable to sudden eviction, even when they had done nothing wrong.
The government believes removing Section 21 will give renters more confidence to challenge poor property conditions, unfair rent increases, or other problems without fear of losing their homes.
Supporters of the reforms say the changes will create a fairer rental market and improve long-term housing security for tenants. However, many landlords are concerned that the loss of Section 21 could make it harder to deal with difficult tenants or recover possession quickly when problems arise.
The Renters’ Rights Act replaces assured shorthold tenancies with a new system of periodic assured tenancies. This means fixed-term tenancy agreements will largely disappear, with tenancies continuing on a rolling basis unless either the tenant or landlord chooses to end them legally.
Under the new system, landlords will only be able to evict tenants by using specific Section 8 grounds for possession. These grounds require landlords to provide a valid legal reason for wanting the property back.
One of the most significant changes is the introduction of a new mandatory Ground 1A. This allows landlords to regain possession if they genuinely intend to sell the property.
However, the rules around selling are stricter than under the previous Section 21 system. Landlords will need to give tenants four months’ notice instead of two months, and they will not be able to evict tenants during the first 12 months of a tenancy.
Landlords will also need to prove that they genuinely intend to sell the property. In addition, there will be restrictions preventing landlords from re-letting or marketing the property for rent shortly after using this ground.
If landlords breach those restrictions, local authorities could issue penalties of up to £40,000.
Another major change affects rent arrears cases under Ground 8. Currently, landlords can apply for possession when tenants owe at least two months’ rent. Under the new rules, tenants will need to be in at least three months’ arrears before landlords can use the mandatory ground.
This means landlords may need to wait longer before beginning possession proceedings, particularly when court delays are also taken into account.
The notice period for serious rent arrears cases will remain four weeks, but many landlords fear the changes could make recovering possession from non-paying tenants slower and more expensive.
The government has also introduced a new Ground 4A specifically for student HMOs. This ground allows landlords to regain possession of shared student properties in order to re-let them to new groups of students.
Alongside these major changes, several additional possession grounds are being updated or expanded to cover situations involving supported housing, agricultural workers, religious ministers and other specialist accommodation types.
The transition away from Section 21 will not happen overnight. Landlords who serve valid Section 21 notices before 1 May 2026 will still be able to continue possession proceedings under certain transition arrangements.
However, strict deadlines will apply. In many cases, landlords will need to begin court proceedings before 31 July 2026 for notices already served.
Once the new system fully takes effect, landlords will lose the ability to rely on Section 21 entirely. This is expected to significantly reshape the relationship between landlords and tenants across England.
For tenants, the reforms are likely to bring greater stability and peace of mind. Many renters have long argued that the threat of no-fault eviction discouraged them from reporting disrepair or challenging poor treatment.
For landlords, however, the changes will require a more cautious approach to tenant selection and property management. Many property owners are worried that if court reforms do not improve the speed of Section 8 possession claims, dealing with problematic tenants could become increasingly difficult.
The reforms are also expected to place greater emphasis on proper record-keeping and compliance. Landlords will need to ensure tenancy agreements, inspections, rent records and communication with tenants are all carefully documented.
Industry experts believe landlords who already maintain high standards and have strong relationships with tenants are likely to adapt more easily to the new system.
At the same time, there are concerns that some landlords may decide to leave the market altogether if they feel the balance between tenant rights and landlord protections has shifted too far.
The abolition of Section 21 represents a major turning point for the private rented sector. While the reforms aim to improve security for renters, they will also fundamentally change how landlords recover possession of their properties in the years ahead.
As the 2026 deadline approaches, both landlords and tenants are being urged to understand the new rules and prepare for one of the biggest changes to rental law in a generation.
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