If you rented before May 2026, you may have received or been threatened with a Section 21 notice. It was the most commonly used eviction mechanism in England, and it allowed your landlord to end your tenancy by giving two months' notice without needing to provide any reason. As long as the correct procedure was followed, the court had no discretion to refuse the possession order.
Section 21 was widely criticised because it allowed retaliatory evictions, created insecurity for tenants who could be removed at any time, and contributed to homelessness as the single biggest driver of "no-fault" homelessness in England.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished Section 21 entirely from May 1st, 2026. Landlords can no longer serve Section 21 notices. Any Section 21 notice served before that date may still be valid if court proceedings were started before May 1st, 2026, but no new notices can be served.
If your landlord wants you to leave, they must now use the Section 8 process, proving specific legal grounds for possession.
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