When Was Section 21 Abolished? Key Dates for UK Landlords

Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026. No landlord in England can now serve a Section 21 "no-fault" eviction notice. The provision was removed entirely by the Renters' Rights Act 2025, with no extension, opt-out, or grandfather clause.

If you are a landlord managing your own properties, this page covers what happened, the transition timeline, and — most importantly — what you need to do now that Section 21 is gone.

What Changed on 1 May 2026

Three things happened simultaneously on commencement day:

1. Section 21 was permanently repealed. The notice mechanism ceased to exist in law. No new Section 21 notices can be served, and any unserved notices became worthless paper.

2. All assured shorthold tenancies converted to periodic tenancies. Fixed terms still run to their end date, but no new ASTs can be created. Every tenancy is now a rolling periodic tenancy — either at the end of its fixed term or immediately if it was already periodic.

3. The only route to possession is now Section 8. To regain your property, you must rely on specific grounds for possession under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 (as amended by the Renters' Rights Act). Our guide to how to serve a Section 8 notice covers the full process from drafting to court.

Transition: Notices Served Before 1 May

If you served a Section 21 notice before the abolition date, the transition rules were:

• Notice served before 1 May 2026: The notice remained valid, but you had to file your possession claim at court by 31 July 2026.
• Court proceedings already started: If you had already issued a claim before 1 May, it continued through the court system normally.
• Notice served but no proceedings by 31 July: The notice lapsed. You cannot rely on it and must use Section 8 grounds instead.

The 31 July 2026 deadline has now passed. Any Section 21 notice that was not backed by court proceedings before that date is void. Going forward, the only route to possession is Section 8.

What Replaced Section 21

Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 is now your sole route to possession. The Renters' Rights Act strengthened and expanded the grounds available:

Mandatory grounds (court must grant possession)

Discretionary grounds (court decides)

The key difference from Section 21: you must prove your case. The court requires evidence that the ground applies, and tenants can challenge it. This means your documentation and compliance records matter more than ever. For a full breakdown of every ground and the evidence required, see our Section 8 grounds guide.

The 5 Things Every Landlord Must Have in Place Now

1. Check your compliance documents

Keep these current:

• Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
• How to Rent guide (served to tenant)

But keep them current for the right reason. This list is the old section 21 prescribed-requirements list, from the 2015 regulations made under section 21A of the Housing Act 1988. Serving a section 21 notice while in breach of any of them was blocked. Section 21 is gone, and that regime went with it.

A missing certificate does not invalidate a Section 8 notice. Section 8 requires the prescribed form, a ground and the correct notice period — no compliance documents. The reason to hold a valid CP12 is that letting without one is a criminal offence from day one, which is a bigger problem than a defective notice. See gas safety certificate expired: what actually happens.

2. Review your tenancy agreements

Fixed-term ASTs have converted to periodic tenancies. Make sure your agreements include clear terms about:

• Rent payment dates and method
• Property condition obligations
• Access for inspections
• Grounds on which you may seek possession

3. Set up proper rent records

If you ever need to rely on Ground 8 (serious rent arrears), you need clear, timestamped evidence of missed payments. A spreadsheet will not cut it in court — use a system that records due dates, amounts, and payment status. See our step-by-step rent arrears guide for what to do from the first missed payment, and the full financial cost breakdown to understand what is at stake.

4. Document property condition

Move-in reports with photographic evidence are essential. If you need to claim for damage or use Ground 13 (deterioration of property), you need a dated baseline to compare against.

5. Understand your notice periods

Section 8 notice periods vary by ground and are generally longer than Section 21. Ground 1 (landlord moving in) requires four months' notice and cannot be used in the first twelve months of a tenancy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still serve a Section 21 notice?

No. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 and no new notices can be served. The transition window for notices served before abolition closed on 31 July 2026.

What if I served a Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026?

The deadline to start court proceedings based on a pre-abolition Section 21 notice was 31 July 2026. If proceedings were not filed by that date, the notice is void. You must use Section 8 grounds instead.

What replaced Section 21?

Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988, with grounds expanded and strengthened by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Unlike Section 21, you need a specific reason (ground) to seek possession — whether that is selling the property, moving in, or tenant misconduct. Each ground has its own notice period and evidence requirements. For a practical action plan, see our guide on what landlords must do now that Section 21 is abolished.

Does this apply to all tenancies?

Yes. The abolition applies to all assured shorthold tenancies in England. It does not apply to Scotland (which has its own system), Wales (which is considering separate legislation), or Northern Ireland.

What if my tenant will not leave after the notice period?

You must apply to the court for a possession order. Self-help eviction (changing locks, intimidation, cutting off utilities) is a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. The penalty is an unlimited fine and/or up to two years in prison.

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