Section 21 is gone: what landlords must do now

No-fault eviction ended on 1 May 2026, and the final deadline to issue a Section 21 claim at court is 31 July. Here is what replaced it, and where landlords are getting caught out.

The Renters' Rights Act received Royal Assent in October 2025, and the change landlords had been bracing for took effect on 1 May 2026. Section 21 — the so-called no-fault eviction — is abolished. If you let property in England, the way you regain possession has fundamentally changed.

The dates that still matter

30 April 2026 was the last day a valid Section 21 notice could be served. 1 May 2026 was formal abolition. The one date still live is 31 July 2026: the last day to issue a Section 21 possession claim at court on a notice served before the cut-off. If you are holding a valid notice and have not yet issued, that window is closing now.

Section 8 is the only route

Possession now runs solely through Section 8, which requires you to prove a ground — a specific legal reason why possession should be granted. The grounds include sale of the property, a landlord or close family member moving in, and rent arrears. The practical shift is that possession has become evidence-led. The reason must be genuine, documented, and it must fit a ground.

The reforms reward landlords who were already doing it properly. The ones who struggle are those relying on paperwork they cannot produce.

The cost of getting it wrong

Serving a Section 21 notice now is not merely invalid — a local authority can impose a civil penalty of up to £7,000 for a single breach. Using an out-of-date template, or an old letting agent's precedent, is an expensive mistake.

What to do this month

If you hold a pre-May notice, take advice on issuing before 31 July. Beyond that: get your compliance file straight — gas safety, electrical condition, deposit protection, How to Rent. Review your tenancy agreements against the new framework. Make sure rent increases follow the statutory process rather than a clause in an old contract. Keep written records of everything, because grounds-based possession depends on them.

This is a summary rather than legal advice, and the position differs across the UK. Take advice on anything contentious before you act.