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5/12/25 4:43 pm
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Well, here we are. The change we have all been talking about, worrying about, and waiting for is finally happening. The Renters’ Rights Act has received Royal Assent, and that means the end of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions.
Since this was first published as a White Paper six years ago, I have been living and breathing it. I have spent years speaking to landlords up and down the country, advising the Government on how the changes could impact the sector, and pushing for a system that works efficiently for both landlords and tenants. At the same time, I have been helping to educate landlords about what’s coming, what it means for them, and how to prepare.
I’ll be honest, this is a monumental change for me too. I have run Landlord Action for nearly 30 years, and my business was built on helping landlords through the eviction process using both Section 8 and Section 21. Over that time, I’ve seen the law evolve, adapted my advice countless times, and worked side by side with landlords to find the best way forward, but this time, everything changes. The framework we have worked within for decades is being rewritten, and like you, I’m evolving with it.
For more than 35 years, Section 21 has given landlords a straightforward way to regain possession of a property. It was never about being unfair, in most of cases I have seen, landlords used it responsibly to sell, move back in, or deal with tenants already in arrears.
In fact, many landlords I have known over the years have swallowed huge rent arrears just to move on quickly, rather than face the long, expensive wait for a court hearing under Section 8. That option has now gone. From the moment this comes into force landlords will only be able to seek possession using specific legal grounds under Section 8, and they may need to prove those grounds in court.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again, the court system is in desperate need of investment. We have had promises from both sides of government that this would be sorted before Section 21 was abolished, but little has actually changed. In hindsight, if the idea of dedicated Housing Courts had been followed through back in 2020, and if Covid had not derailed everything, we would be in a much stronger position now. Instead, confidence in the court system is at an all-time low, and that is a real concern as Section 21 disappears.
However, we have discussed it to death, argued every angle, and now it is real. So, let’s stop debating it, stop wondering when it will happen, and start focusing on how to deal with it.I’ll keep this simple. The abolition of Section 21 means landlords can no longer end a tenancy without giving a specific reason. Instead, you will have to use the Section 8 process, which sets out legal grounds for possession.
As before, some of those grounds are mandatory, meaning if you can prove it, the court must grant possession. That includes serious rent arrears, the landlord or a family member moving back in, and selling the property.
Others are discretionary, such as antisocial behaviour, damage to the property, or other breaches of tenancy. In these cases, it is up to the judge to decide whether possession is reasonable.
However, the notice periods will also be longer. Selling or moving back in will now require four months’ notice, and you will not be able to use those grounds within the first year of a tenancy. If you are seeking possession in order to sell, there is also an important new condition. Once you have served notice and the four-month period has passed, you will not be able to change your mind and rent the property out again for at least twelve months. During that time, it cannot be marketed for rent, used as a holiday let, or occupied under licence. Essentially, if you claim you are selling, you need to follow through. In practice, that creates a sixteen-month period from the date you serve notice before the property could return to the rental market.
For serious rent arrears, tenants will need to owe at least three months’ rent, and landlords must give four weeks’ notice before going to court. Only the most serious cases of antisocial behaviour will allow you to act immediately.
I know many landlords are frustrated. For years, Section 21 offered a sense of control, a safety net that, used responsibly, kept the market moving. Losing that feels unsettling, but it is not all bad news. The new rules still allow landlords to regain possession when there is a genuine reason to do so. It just means the process will be more structured, more evidence-based, and, yes, probably slower. At least until the system settles into a new norm.
The key now is professionalism. Every landlord, whether you have one property or fifty, needs to think like a business owner. Keep clear records, stay compliant and understand your legal obligations. The landlords who do that will continue to operate confidently, even under these new rules.
You can approach this change with fear. What if I get a bad tenant? What if I need my property back and can’t? What if it all goes wrong? I get it. Those are the worries I hear from landlords every single day. But the reality is that based on the number of successful tenancies across the country, the bad situations (yes, the ones I usually deal with at Landlord Action) are the minority.
The majority of tenants are people who need or choose to rent and simply want a place they can call home for the long term, and the majority of landlords are exactly the same: responsible, fair, and just looking for good tenants who respect their property. This is the partnership that really keeps this sector going, and it is worth holding on to as we move into this new chapter.
My thoughts
Here's my view. Change is uncomfortable, especially when it affects something as fundamental as your ability to regain possession, but this is not the end of renting as we know it, it is the start of a new phase.
The best landlords will adapt, just as they always have. They will keep good records, maintain strong communication with tenants, and stay compliant. That is what will make the difference now.
As for me? Landlord Action has been around for nearly three decades, helping landlords through every kind of challenge, and that will not change. My business has evolved, and so have I, but my mission remains the same: to stand alongside landlords, offer advice, and help make the new system work.
At the end of the day, landlords still need tenants, and tenants still need landlords.
If we can all approach this new chapter with professionalism and fairness, there Is no reason we cannot make it work.
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