Section 21 is gone. All tenancies are now rolling periodic. Landlords can only regain possession through specific Section 8 grounds. If you own rental property in England, this changes how you operate from 1 May 2026 onwards.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and its core tenancy reforms took effect on 1 May 2026. This is the most significant change to the private rented sector since the Housing Act 1988. I've gone through the Act, the government's information sheet, and the main legal commentary to set out exactly what it does.
Section 21 is gone
From 1 May 2026, landlords in England can no longer serve Section 21 "no-fault" eviction notices. This applies to all existing and new tenancies. There is no transition period, no grandfather clause, and no exception for fixed-term contracts already in place.
Section 21 notices served before 1 May 2026 remain valid if they were correctly served and have not expired. Notices served after 1 May are void.
For landlords who relied on Section 21 as a routine end-of-tenancy tool, the shift is significant. Possession now requires one of the specific grounds set out in Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988, as amended by the new Act.
All tenancies are now periodic
Every assured shorthold tenancy (AST) in England converted to an assured periodic tenancy (APT) on 1 May 2026. Fixed-term ASTs no longer exist.
New tenancies created from 1 May onwards are also periodic from day one. There is no option to agree a fixed term, even if both landlord and tenant want one.
The practical effect: tenants can leave at any point by giving two months' notice, expiring at the end of a rent period. Landlords cannot include break penalties or minimum terms.
Scotland introduced a similar system in 2017 with private residential tenancies. Tenant turnover there did not increase substantially after the change, which is worth noting for landlords concerned about frequent voids.
How landlords regain possession
Landlords must now use Section 8, specifying one or more of the statutory grounds. The Act has amended and added grounds. Here are the key ones:
Mandatory grounds (the court must grant possession if proved):
- Ground 1: landlord wants to sell the property. Requires four months' notice. Cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy.
- Ground 1A: landlord or family member wants to move in. Four months' notice. Same 12-month restriction.
- Ground 6: the property needs significant redevelopment work.
- Ground 8: at least two months' rent arrears at both the notice date and the hearing date.
Discretionary grounds (the court decides whether possession is reasonable):
- Ground 10: some rent is unpaid.
- Ground 11: persistent late payment.
- Ground 12: breach of tenancy terms.
- Ground 14: antisocial behaviour or nuisance.
Notice periods vary by ground. The Act specifies minimum notice periods for each. I'd recommend keeping a reference table of these — the details matter when you need to serve notice.
Rent increases
Landlords can increase rent once per 12-month period, using a Section 13 notice with two months' notice. The tenant can challenge the increase at a First-tier Tribunal.
The Tribunal assesses whether the proposed rent is above open market rent for the area. If it is, the Tribunal sets the rent at market level.
Rental bidding is banned. Landlords and agents cannot invite or accept offers above the advertised rent.
The Decent Homes Standard
For the first time, the Decent Homes Standard applies to the private rented sector in England. Previously it covered only social housing.
The standard sets minimum conditions for heating, insulation, damp, safety, and repair. Implementation details and the timeline for enforcement are expected later in 2026 through secondary legislation.
Property portal
The Act establishes a new Private Rented Sector Database (property portal). Landlords will be required to register their properties and provide information about tenancy terms, safety compliance, and property conditions.
The portal is not yet live. MHCLG has confirmed it will launch in phases during 2026 and 2027. Registration requirements will be confirmed closer to launch.
What landlords need to do now
The government has published an Information Sheet that landlords must give to tenants. This requirement applies from 1 May 2026.
Beyond that, the immediate actions are:
Review all existing tenancy agreements — fixed-term clauses are now unenforceable. Update any standard contract templates to reflect rolling periodic terms. Familiarise yourself with Section 8 grounds and the required notice periods. Ensure properties meet current safety standards (gas, electrical, smoke and CO alarms, EPC) before enforcement of the Decent Homes Standard adds further requirements. Budget for potential void periods — without Section 21, recovering possession takes longer, especially if court proceedings are needed.
Court capacity
The possession process now relies entirely on Section 8 and the courts. Court backlogs in England are a known problem. The government has committed up to £50 million to modernise civil courts, but landlord groups have expressed concern about whether this is enough.
Processing times for possession cases averaged 28 weeks in 2025. Whether that improves under the new system remains to be seen. From a practical planning standpoint, I'd assume six months minimum from serving notice to recovering possession in a contested case.