On 1 May 2026, Section 21 "no-fault" eviction notices were abolished in England under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, which received Royal Assent the previous October. For the first time in decades, landlords can no longer simply give two months' notice and end a tenancy without giving a reason - every possession claim must now go through Section 8, using one of a defined set of legal grounds.
This is one of the biggest shifts in landlord-tenant law in a generation, and it has left many landlords unsure how to proceed - particularly those who relied on Section 21 as a straightforward way to regain a property to sell, move into, or re-let. The new system introduces mandatory grounds for selling and moving in, but with important restrictions: these grounds cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy, and require four months' notice rather than two.
This guide explains, in plain English, exactly what has changed, what landlords can and cannot do now, the new mandatory and discretionary grounds available under Section 8, and how to approach regaining possession the right way under the new rules - including when to take legal advice.
The full guide will cover: