Section 21 Notice: Abolished in England From May 2026

Section 21 no longer exists in England. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished the no-fault eviction notice for the private rented sector from 1 May 2026, so every private landlord in England must now prove a Section 8 ground before a tenant can be evicted.

What Was Section 21?

Section 21 was section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, the legal mechanism that let a private landlord in England end an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) once any fixed term had ended, without giving the tenant a reason. It was widely called a no-fault eviction, because the landlord did not have to prove the tenant had done anything wrong, only that the correct paperwork and notice period had been used. Introduced alongside the AST itself, Section 21 became the default route landlords used to regain possession, far more often than the fault-based Section 8 grounds, because it was faster, simpler, and could not be contested by the tenant on the merits. Its abolition, effective 1 May 2026, is one of the central reforms of the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

How the Old Section 21 Process Worked

Under the old system, a landlord who wanted possession served a Section 21 notice on a prescribed form, giving the tenant at least two months to leave. If the tenant did not leave by the date given, the landlord could apply to the County Court for an accelerated possession order, a paper-based process decided on the documents alone, usually without a hearing. Because Section 21 required no reason and no evidence of wrongdoing, the court had no discretion to refuse possession once the landlord's paperwork was in order; it simply confirmed the tenancy was ending. If the tenant still did not leave after the order, the landlord could ask court bailiffs to enforce it. This entire route, notice, accelerated possession, and enforcement, no longer exists for new evictions in England.

Why Section 21 Was Abolished

Section 21 let a landlord end a tenancy at short notice and without giving any reason, which meant a tenant could be evicted for raising a legitimate complaint, such as asking for repairs, with no way to challenge the eviction on its merits. The stated aim of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 was to remove that insecurity, so a tenant can raise problems, request a pet, or simply stay put, without fear of a retaliatory no-fault notice. Abolishing Section 21 was paired with reformed Section 8 grounds and the new periodic tenancy structure, so landlords keep a genuine route to possession, for example to sell or move in family, or to recover serious arrears, but must now prove a specific ground in court rather than simply declining to renew.

What Replaced Section 21: Section 8 Grounds

Since 1 May 2026, every assured shorthold tenancy in England has converted to a periodic assured tenancy, with no fixed term. A landlord can only regain possession by serving a Section 8 notice that relies on one of the grounds set out in the Housing Act 1988, as reformed by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Unlike Section 21, a Section 8 notice must state the ground relied on, and the tenant can dispute it. If the tenant does not leave, the landlord applies to the County Court, which decides whether the ground is actually made out before granting possession. A tenant can now stay in the property until a court is satisfied the landlord has proved a valid ground, not merely because a notice period has passed.

The Key Section 8 Grounds Landlords Use Now

Two reformed grounds matter most in practice. Ground 1 (landlord or a close family member moving in) and Ground 1A (landlord selling the property) both require 4 months' notice, and neither can be used during a new protected period: the first 12 months of a tenancy, which stops a landlord using these grounds to move a tenant out shortly after they move in. Ground 8 (serious rent arrears) is the main arrears ground; the Renters' Rights Act raised its threshold from 2 months' arrears to 3 months', and lengthened its notice period from 2 weeks to 4 weeks, giving tenants more room to catch up before losing their home. Anti-social behaviour grounds were also strengthened. Every ground still has to be proved to the County Court's satisfaction; none is automatic.

What This Means If You Rent in England

For tenants, the practical change is security: a landlord cannot simply decide not to renew a tenancy, or give two months' notice, without a reason. A Section 21 notice validly served before 1 May 2026 may still have been able to proceed under the transitional rules that applied at the time, but no new Section 21 notice can be served in England now. For landlords, possession is still available, but it now depends on proving one of the Section 8 grounds, with longer notice periods on several key grounds and a 12-month protected period before Ground 1 or 1A can be used. Anyone facing a Section 8 notice, or a landlord planning to serve one, should check the specific ground relied on against the current Housing Act 1988 grounds, since the requirements differ significantly between them.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: Different Rules

Section 21 abolition applies to England only; the other three nations were not affected by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and each runs a different system.

In Wales, a landlord can still evict without giving a reason using a Section 173 notice under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, provided they give at least 6 months' notice and do not serve it within the first 6 months of occupation or during a fixed term; see our guide to eviction in Wales. Scotland's Private Residential Tenancy never had a no-fault ground: a landlord must rely on one of the now entirely discretionary grounds and satisfy the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland that eviction is reasonable; see eviction in Scotland. Northern Ireland has no schedule of statutory eviction grounds under the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022; a landlord ends a tenancy by serving a valid Notice to Quit, with no ground required; see eviction in Northern Ireland.

For the wider possession route, see our guides to the Section 8 notice and the eviction process in England, and for the full reform see the Renters' Rights Act 2025. If your tenancy started before 1 May 2026, see assured shorthold tenancy for how it converted. For the full four-nation picture, see our UK tenant rights hub, part of our wider guide to United Kingdom law.

This article is general information about the law in England, not legal advice. Whether a particular eviction is valid depends heavily on the ground relied on and the facts of the tenancy. If you are a tenant facing eviction or a landlord seeking possession, consult Citizens Advice, Shelter, or a qualified solicitor before taking action.