In a landmark overhaul of the private rented sector bringing the most significant changes to the sector in a generation, the Renters Rights Act 2025 abolishes Section 21 notices commonly referred to as ‘no fault’ evictions.
What is the act?
Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 gives landlords the right to recover possession of a privately rented property by serving a notice with a minimum of two months’ notice without having to provide any reason as to why they wish a tenant to leave, subject to meeting certain conditions.
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and one of the headlines of the legislation is that landlords will no longer be able to use Section 21 procedure to regain possession of a property. This forms part of the introduction of assured shorthold tenancies being replaced with assured tenancies and all tenancies becoming periodic.
Can landlords still serve notices?
Although Section 21 notices cannot be used after 30 April 2026, there is a transition period. Landlords can still serve Section 21 notices up to 30 April 2026, and if a notice is validly served by that date, a landlord may still apply to the court for a possession order up to 31 July 2026.
If a landlord tries to serve a Section 21 Notice on or after 1 May 2026, they may be liable to a civil penalty by the local authority of up to £7,000.
The transitional arrangements are designed to give landlords and tenants time to prepare for the system change and to phase out old processes.
Once Section 21 is abolished, Landlords must rely on Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 to seek possession. This requires setting out one or more legal grounds and providing evidence in court. Several existing grounds are being updated and new ones introduced to reflect modern renting realities. In the second article of this series, we will discuss the grounds in further detail.
If you’re a landlord in England, it’s now essential to understand these changes and plan ahead — whether that’s in negotiating tenancies, preparing for new notice procedures, or seeking professional advice as the implementation date approaches. Please get in touch with our Property Litigation team.