From 1st May, Section 21 eviction notices — the “easy eviction” route that many landlords, agents and solicitors historically relied upon — were formally abolished.
This marks one of the most significant changes introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act and fundamentally changes how landlords regain possession of their properties moving forward.
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Important deadlines landlords need to be aware of
For landlords who chose to rely on Section 21 before it was withdrawn, timing is now critical.
📅 30th April — Final date to serve a Section 21 notice
Importantly, the notice needed to be deemed served by this date — not simply posted or sent.
This meant landlords needed to allow sufficient time for delivery in order for the notice to remain valid.
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📅 31st July — Deadline to submit a court application
If you intend to proceed with possession using a previously served Section 21 notice, the court application must be submitted by this date.
We strongly recommend submitting well ahead of the deadline wherever possible, to avoid unnecessary risk or delays.
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What happens if these deadlines are missed?
If either of these deadlines is not met, the Section 21 notice will become invalid.
At that point, landlords will need to rely entirely on the new Section 8 possession grounds — which may not always align with the landlord’s original plans, circumstances, or timeline.
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What replaces Section 21?
Now that the new legislation is in force, landlords can only regain possession using one of the specific legal grounds set out under Section 8.
In practice, this means every eviction must now be clearly justified within the framework of the legislation.
Several new possession grounds have been introduced, while many existing grounds now carry longer notice periods than before.
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The good news — and the challenges
One positive change for landlords is the strengthening of anti-social behaviour (ASB) grounds.
Importantly, the legislation now includes specific recognition of anti-social behaviour within HMOs and shared housing environments — something many landlords and agents have long argued was needed.
Unfortunately, the position around rent arrears is far less favourable for landlords.
Previously, mandatory rent arrears possession could typically begin once a tenant reached two months of arrears, with a two-week notice period.
Under the new rules:
* Tenants must now be in at least three months of arrears
* Landlords must provide four weeks’ notice
From our experience managing well over 1,000 tenancies across the last 20 years, once a tenant falls two months behind with rent, the likelihood of the tenancy recovering financially becomes significantly lower.
In reality, these changes are likely to increase the financial burden on landlords dealing with serious arrears cases.
For that reason, robust referencing processes and Rent Guarantee Protection will be essential under the new system.
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New grounds for selling or moving back in
The legislation also introduces new possession grounds specifically for situations where:
* The landlord wishes to sell the property (Ground 1A)
* The landlord or a close family member intends to move into the property (Ground 1)
We discussed Ground 1A in more detail in our blog, Renters’ Rights Act Tips 02 .
Ground 1 follows very similar rules, including:
* A 12-month protected period at the start of the tenancy
* A four-month notice period
* A 12-month restriction period after possession is regained
The penalties for misusing these grounds — even accidentally — can be severe, so seeking guidance from a knowledgeable letting agent or solicitor is strongly advisable before taking action.
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Our advice
If you are considering regaining possession of your property, careful planning and professional guidance are now more important than ever.
The process has become far more structured, with greater emphasis on compliance, evidence, and following the correct legal procedure at every stage.
If you would like support reviewing your position or understanding your options, our team is here to help.
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In the next instalment of our Renters’ Rights Act Tips Series, we’ll continue breaking down what these legislative changes mean in practical terms for landlords.