Section 21 Abolition: Key Deadlines Landlords Must Act On Before 1 May 2026

Leopoldine Mineo

Section 21 Abolition: Key Deadlines Landlords Must Act On Before 1 May 2026

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 abolishes section 21 “no-fault” evictions from 1 May 2026 — now less than two weeks away. For landlords who have already served a section 21 notice, or who are considering doing so before the deadline, strict transitional rules govern what remains enforceable and for how long. This article sets out the critical dates you need to know.

Learn more about section 21 of the Housing Act 1988: A Guide to Section 21 Notices

1. Date of Abolition

The abolition takes effect on 1 May 2026 and from this date, landlords can no longer serve section 21 notices. All new and existing tenancies transition to the new regime, which means possession must rely on statutory grounds (section 8) rather than “no-fault” evictions.

2. Final date for serving a valid section 21 notice

Any section 21 notices must be served by 4.30pm on 30 April 2026. The notice will need to be valid to be enforceable, which means that it must comply with all the requirements for a valid notice under the Deregulation Act 2015.

Section 21 is not immediately extinguished on 1 May 2026. Instead, the Act creates a transitional window allowing enforcement of notices already served. A section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026 remains valid only if possession proceedings are commenced within the required timeframe.

3. Deadline for issuing possession proceedings

Proceedings must be issued by the earlier of six months from the date of service (the normal rule) or three months from commencement of the Act — that is, 31 July 2026. This creates a hard longstop date: 31 July 2026 is the absolute and final deadline for issuing proceedings relying on section 21. After this date, landlords must proceed under the new statutory grounds.

So, for example, if a notice was served on 5 April 2026, proceedings must be issued by 31 July 2026, even though six months from service would extend further.

Issuing proceedings by that date means lodging the claim with the Court — either by sending the physical paperwork or via the online possession claims portal. Where this has been done before the deadline, the Courts may continue to process those claims under the current procedure. The regime is deliberately strict: failure to comply with these deadlines results in an inability to rely on section 21, requiring landlords to use the new statutory framework.

FAQ: What if I miss the deadlines?

I did not serve a section 21 notice before 1 May 2026

If you did not serve a section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, you can no longer rely on the no-fault eviction route. From that date, possession must be sought through the Section 8 process, which requires you to establish one of the statutory grounds — such as rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, or intention to sell or occupy the property.

I served a valid notice but did not issue proceedings by 31 July 2026

If you served a valid section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 but failed to issue possession proceedings by 31 July 2026, the notice becomes unenforceable. You will need to start again under the new Section 8 framework.

My section 21 notice was invalid

If your section 21 notice was invalid — for example, because the prescribed information was not served correctly or the deposit was not protected — it cannot be relied upon regardless of when it was served. In that situation, you should take legal advice as soon as possible about whether Section 8 grounds are available to you.

In all of these scenarios, acting quickly is important. Court delays are already significant, and the transition to the new regime is expected to increase demand on the possession claims system considerably. Our Property Litigation team can advise on the best route forward for your specific situation.

How can we help?

At Osbornes, our Property Litigation team is here to guide you through every step of tenancy disputes and eviction matters. We focus on practical solutions, clear advice, and getting results — so you feel supported and confident, no matter how complex your case. Please contact us by calling 020 7485 8811 or filling in the contact form below.