Today, 31st July, is the deadline for landlords to begin court proceedings using a Section 21 “No-Fault” eviction notice served before 1st May 2026.

Until today at 4:30pm, landlords have been able to file existing Section 21 notices in court. Section 21 notices were permitted under the Housing Act of 1988, which allowed private landlords in England to reclaim possession of their property for no given reason, with a 2 month notice to the tenants. 

After 4:30pm today, Section 21 is officially dead and buried. Any landlords who have served this notice prior to 1st May 2026 without filing with the courts will have their tenancies automatically converted into a new Assured Periodic Tenancy which has 4 key new features:

• Duration: Rolling indefinitely- as opposed to previously fixed-terms (e.g. 6/12 month contracts)
• Leaving Early: Tenants can now give a 2-month notice at any time- whereas previously it was hard to leave before the end of the contract
• Landlord Evictions: Can now only evict under Section 8 (must provide a valid reason)
• Rent Increases: Limited to once a year under statutory Section 13 notice

How Section 8 Works

Section 8 is now the only legal route for private landlords in England to reclaim possession of their property.

They must provide one or more legal grounds for ending the tenancy, falling into 2 categories:

• Mandatory Grounds (The court must order an eviction)
  • Moving in or selling: Either the landlord or a member of their family wants to move into the property, or they want to sell it
  • Severe rent arrears: The tenant owes at least 3 months’ worth of rent
  • >Redevelopment: The landlord needs to carry out major structural or redevelopment work that cannot happen with the tenant living there
• Discretionary Grounds (The judge decides)
  • Minor rent arrears: The tenant consistently pays rent late or owes less than 3 months’ of rent
  • Breach of contract: Tenant has broken terms of the agreement (e.g. pets, smoking inside, subletting)
  • Property damage: Tenant has damaged property or furniture beyond wear and tear
  • Antisocial behaviour / Nuisance: Causing noise complaints or criminal activity

For Landlords evicting tenants under Section 8, they must give the tenant up to 4 months notice before vacating the property, depending on the reason for eviction.

If a landlord files multiple reasons for eviction, the reason with the shortest notice period applies. 

As section 21 passes into history today, it marks a pivotal shift in protecting local renters and improving housing stability. Section 21 has been a leading cause for vulnerable individuals walking through our doors and while the end of “no-fault” evictions brings much needed security, the transition to Assured Periodic Tenancies and Section 8 notices can still be overwhelming, which is why our Housing Crisis Intervention Service(HCIS) is open for morning drop-ins for help and expert advice.