Renters' Rights Act
Section 21 Is Gone: How to End a Tenancy Now
Section 21 "no-fault" notices ended on 1 May 2026. To get a property back you now serve a section 8 notice that relies on a legal ground, and the court has to be satisfied that the ground applies.
A section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026 could only be used if court proceedings were issued by 31 July 2026 (or sooner, depending on when it was served). That deadline has passed, so any unused section 21 notice is now of no use.
The grounds landlords use most
| Ground | When it applies | Notice |
|---|---|---|
| Ground 1: moving in | You or a close family member want to live there. Not in the first 12 months of the tenancy. | 4 months |
| Ground 1A: selling | You intend to sell. Not in the first 12 months of the tenancy. | 4 months |
| Ground 8: rent arrears | At least 3 months' rent owed (13 weeks if paid weekly or fortnightly), both when you serve notice and at the hearing. | 4 weeks |
| Grounds 7A and 14: antisocial behaviour | Serious antisocial behaviour or criminal conduct. | Proceedings can start straight away |
After using Ground 1 or 1A you cannot re-let or market the property to let for 12 months. Other grounds cover things like repeated late payment, breach of tenancy terms and redevelopment. Each has its own conditions, so check the ground carefully before serving.
What will stop you getting possession
- An unprotected deposit. If the deposit was not protected in an approved scheme with the prescribed information given, you generally cannot get possession, except on the antisocial behaviour grounds.
- Not being on the PRS Database, once it is live for your area. A court cannot make a possession order for an unregistered property, again except on the antisocial behaviour grounds. When your region opens.
- The wrong notice period or a ground that does not apply. The court will dismiss the claim and you start again.
What tenants can do now
- Leave at any time with two months' notice; every tenancy is periodic.
- Challenge a rent increase at the First-tier Tribunal. Increases must use a section 13 notice, once a year, with two months' notice.
- Ask to keep a pet, with a reply due within 28 days.
What to do now
- Check every deposit is protected and the prescribed information was served. It is now a condition of getting possession.
- Keep good records of rent payments and any problems, dated. Section 8 claims depend on evidence.
- Keep certificates in date. Gas, EICR and EPC failures do not block section 8 in the way they used to block section 21, but they bring penalties of their own and will show up on your database entry.
- Take advice before serving notice. The new grounds are stricter, and a mistake costs months.
General information for landlords in England, not legal advice. Figures are maximums; councils decide penalties case by case. Check GOV.UK or a solicitor for your situation.