Section 21 Notice Guide for Landlords
How Section 21 has worked historically in England, validity requirements, and how reforms change possession strategy.
7 min read · Updated 2026-08-05
Section 21 was the "no-fault" eviction notice that let a landlord in England end an assured shorthold tenancy without giving a reason. As of August 2026, it no longer works. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished Section 21 for any notice served on or after 1 May 2026, and the transitional window that let older, validly served notices proceed to court closed on 31 July 2026. If you are reading this because you want to serve a Section 21 notice today, the short answer is that you cannot: every possession claim in England now has to go through Section 8.
This guide explains what Section 21 used to do, the validity traps that caught landlords out for years, exactly how and when it was phased out, and what to do instead now that it is gone.
What Section 21 was for
Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 let a landlord recover possession of a property let on an assured shorthold tenancy without proving any fault on the tenant's part. A landlord simply had to serve the correct notice, on the correct form (Form 6A), giving at least two months' notice, and could not usually give that notice within the first four months of a tenancy.
It was used far more often than Section 8 because it did not require a ground, a hearing on the merits, or evidence of wrongdoing. A landlord who wanted a property back to sell, to move into, to re-let at a higher rent, or simply because the relationship with the tenant had broken down without any single dramatic incident, could use Section 21 rather than trying to build a case under a specific Section 8 ground. That flexibility is exactly why the Renters' Rights Act targeted it: tenant groups and the government both viewed "no reason needed" as the core problem with security of tenure in the private rented sector.
Validity traps
Even while Section 21 was available, a large proportion of notices failed on technical grounds, and landlords who serve one now (which, again, will not be accepted for a new claim) should understand why so many were struck out historically:
- Deposit protection. If a deposit was not protected in an approved scheme within 30 days of receipt, or the prescribed information was not given to the tenant, a Section 21 notice was invalid until the position was corrected and, in some cases, a penalty paid to the tenant.
- Missing gas safety record. A landlord who could not show the tenant had been given a valid, in-date gas safety record could not serve a valid Section 21 notice, even if the property had gas appliances that were in fact safe.
- No EPC provided. Failing to give the tenant a copy of the Energy Performance Certificate before the tenancy started also blocked a valid notice.
- Missing "How to Rent" guide. Landlords had to give tenants the current version of the government's "How to Rent" guide at the start of the tenancy and again if it was updated during a tenancy.
- Licensing failures. An unlicensed HMO, or a property in a selective licensing area without the required licence, could not be the subject of a valid Section 21 notice.
- Retaliatory eviction rules. A notice served in response to a tenant's legitimate complaint about disrepair, where the local authority had served an improvement or emergency remedial notice, could be barred for a set period.
These traps mattered because a defective Section 21 notice was not just delayed, it was void, meaning a landlord who relied on one had to start again from scratch, often months later. Our guide to landlord certificates and compliance covers the certificates that most commonly tripped up a Section 21 claim, which remain just as relevant now, since the same paperwork gaps can also undermine a Section 8 claim or simply land you a separate enforcement penalty.
Reform context
The end of Section 21 did not happen overnight, and the exact dates matter if you are trying to understand where any existing or recent case stands:
- From 1 May 2026, no new Section 21 notice could be validly served. Any notice dated on or after that day is simply not valid, regardless of the property, tenancy history or reason for wanting possession.
- Notices served before 1 May 2026 could still be relied on to start court proceedings, but only up until 31 July 2026. That transitional window is now closed. Any Section 21 notice that had not been used to issue a claim by that cut-off has lapsed, and a landlord in that position now has to serve a fresh notice under a Section 8 ground instead.
- Existing tenancies that had not had a Section 21 notice served on them converted automatically into Assured Periodic Tenancies on 1 May 2026, with no fixed term and no "no-fault" route to end them. This happened by operation of law; no landlord action was required to trigger it, and none could have prevented it.
In practical terms, if you are a landlord today wondering whether Section 21 is still an option in any form, it is not. The full detail of what changed alongside the abolition of Section 21, including the new possession grounds and rent increase process, is set out in our guide to the Renters' Rights Act.
Alternatives
With Section 21 gone, there is exactly one lawful route to end a tenancy the tenant does not want to leave: a Section 8 notice, using a ground that fits your actual circumstances. The grounds landlords used to reach for Section 21 instead of now map onto specific Section 8 grounds, each with its own notice period and evidence requirements:
| Old approach | Nearest Section 8 route | Typical notice period |
|---|---|---|
| Wanted the property back to sell | Ground 1A (intention to sell) | Four months, and not within the tenancy's first 12 months |
| Wanted to move in, or a family member did | Ground 1 (landlord occupation) | Four months, and not within the tenancy's first 12 months |
| Relationship breakdown, no specific incident | No direct equivalent - a ground must now fit the facts | Varies by ground |
| Serious rent arrears | Ground 8 (mandatory, three months' arrears) | Four weeks |
| Persistent late payment or lower-level arrears | Grounds 10 and 11 (discretionary) | Four weeks |
The gap that catches landlords out most is the middle row. Section 21 could be used for a tenancy that simply was not working, without needing to point to arrears, anti-social behaviour or a sale. That option no longer exists. If neither Ground 1, 1A nor a rent-related ground applies, ending a tenancy the tenant will not agree to leave voluntarily is now considerably harder, and in some cases not realistically possible until circumstances change (for example, until arrears reach the Ground 8 threshold, or a genuine sale or move-in intention exists).
Our guide to Section 8 evictions covers the full set of grounds, evidence requirements and notice periods in depth. If arrears are the underlying issue, it is almost always faster and cheaper to resolve them directly than to wait for a Ground 8 threshold and go through court, and our rent arrears playbook sets out how to get ahead of that early.
How Property HQ helps
Property HQ's compliance register tracks tenancy start dates alongside your certificates and licensing deadlines, so if you do need to rely on Ground 1 or 1A, you can see at a glance whether the 12-month minimum has been met and which certificates are current before you serve any notice.
Disclaimer
This guide reflects the Renters' Rights Act 2025 as understood in August 2026, including the closure of the Section 21 transitional window on 31 July 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. Check GOV.UK or a qualified solicitor before serving any notice or starting possession proceedings.
Related guides
This guide is general information for UK landlords, not legal, tax or mortgage advice. Rules vary by nation and change over time - check GOV.UK, HMRC or a qualified adviser for your situation.