Section 21 Abolition - What It Means For You
From May 2026, no-fault evictions end. What this means for current and future tenants.
The Renters' Rights Act 2024 abolishes Section 21 'no-fault' evictions from 1 May 2026. This is the biggest change to tenancy law in a generation.
What Changes
- Landlords will no longer be able to evict you without a reason
- All evictions must use Section 8 with a valid ground
- The change applies to ALL private tenancies, existing and new
- From 1 May 2026, any Section 21 notice served will be invalid
New Eviction Grounds
To compensate for losing Section 21, some Section 8 grounds are being strengthened or added:
- Landlord wants to sell the property (new mandatory ground)
- Landlord or family member wants to move in (strengthened)
- Rent arrears (unchanged)
- Antisocial behaviour (unchanged)
What This Means for You
Greater security - you can't be evicted just because your fixed term ended or your landlord wants someone new. But you can still be evicted for legitimate reasons like rent arrears or if the landlord genuinely needs to sell or move in.
Keep up with rent payments and look after the property. As long as you do this, eviction will be much harder for your landlord.
Official Sources
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