The Renters' Rights Act: what changed

The headline change is the end of no-fault eviction. Before the reform, a landlord could ask you to leave at the end of a fixed term with a Section 21 notice and no reason. From 1 May 2026 that route is gone in England — a landlord can only seek possession on a stated legal ground (see the table below), and some of those grounds are mandatory while others are decided by a judge on whether it's reasonable.

No more fixed terms. Assured shorthold tenancies and fixed terms were abolished. Your tenancy now runs on a periodic basis rather than locking you in for, say, 12 months. In broad terms that gives you more flexibility to give notice and move on, though the exact notice you have to give is set by the legislation — check the current rules for your situation.

You can still be evicted — but for a reason. The Act removed no-fault eviction, not eviction. If you fall into serious rent arrears, cause anti-social behaviour, or breach the tenancy, a landlord can serve a Section 8 notice. They can also seek possession if they genuinely intend to sell the property or have the landlord or a close family member move in — but those grounds come with conditions, including that they generally can't be used in the first 12 months of the tenancy.

Worried about a notice you've been given? A possession notice has to be valid to be effective: the right ground, the right notice period, and the landlord's own duties met. If something looks off, that's worth checking before you make any decisions. Free, independent help is available from Citizens Advice and Shelter, and gov.uk sets out the official position.

Two related tools may help: our rent increase calculator to sense-check a proposed rise, and our tenancy deposit cap calculator to check the most a landlord can legally hold.

Section 21 is no longer an option. From 1 May 2026 you can't serve a new Section 21 (Form 6A) notice in England. Every possession claim now runs through a Section 8 notice citing one or more of the reformed grounds in Schedule 2 to the Housing Act 1988. If you served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, transitional rules may let you rely on it for a limited period — confirm the current deadlines on gov.uk or with a solicitor.

Pick the right ground, get the notice period right. The reformed grounds carry different notice periods — from two weeks for some discretionary grounds up to four months for selling or moving in. Serving an invalid or incorrectly completed notice can delay or completely invalidate a possession claim, so it pays to get this right and to have anything important checked by a qualified solicitor.

New and amended grounds. There's a new mandatory ground to recover the property if you intend to sell it (Ground 1A) and a new ground for student HMOs let between academic years (Ground 4A). The moving-in ground (Ground 1) was amended. Selling and moving-in grounds generally can't be used in the first 12 months of the tenancy, and after using them you typically can't re-let or re-market the property for 12 months. The conditions are specific, so check the in-force detail before relying on a ground.

Higher arrears threshold. The mandatory rent-arrears ground (Ground 8) now needs at least three months of unpaid rent rather than two, with a four-week notice period. The arrears generally have to be at that level both when you serve the notice and at the hearing.

Your paperwork matters more than ever. With no no-fault backstop, the evidence trail behind a tenancy — deposit protection, prescribed information, gas and electrical safety, the documents you served and when — is what a possession or deposit case turns on. Stead's landlord tools are built to keep that record straight: see the proof-of-service record, the deposit deadline tracker and the inspection & inventory report.

The most common grounds a private landlord in England is likely to use under the reformed Schedule 2, with the type and the statutory minimum notice period. Mandatory means the court must grant possession if the ground is proved; discretionary means the court grants it only if it's reasonable. This isn't the full schedule, and notice periods can change — treat it as a map, and verify the current figures on gov.uk before serving anything.

• 1 May 2026 — The core regime commenced for private assured tenancies in England (SI 2026/421): Section 21 abolished, fixed terms and assured shorthold tenancies gone, tenancies periodic, and the reformed Section 8 grounds in force.
• 1 May – 30 July 2026 — Transitional window for the new student HMO ground (Ground 4A), with a temporarily reduced two-month notice period for notices served in this period.
• Section 21 notices served before 1 May 2026 — May still be relied on for a limited period under transitional and saving provisions. Check the current deadlines before issuing a claim.

Some wider measures connected to the reform (for example aspects of the rules around how the changes bed in) may be phased in on their own timetable, so don't assume a date for any specific provision without checking gov.uk.

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 changes above are England only. The other UK nations reformed renting earlier, in their own ways:

Wales replaced assured shorthold tenancies with occupation contracts under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. A landlord's no-fault route is the Section 173 notice (six months' notice, and it can't be given in the first six months), alongside fault-based grounds for serious rent arrears, breach and anti-social behaviour.

Scotland uses the Private Residential Tenancy under the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016. A landlord ends it with a single Notice to Leave citing one of the statutory grounds; since 2022 all grounds are discretionary and the First-tier Tribunal decides whether eviction is reasonable.

Northern Ireland follows the Private Tenancies Act (NI) 2022. A landlord serves a Notice to Quit, with minimum notice set by how long the tenant has lived in the property, and then must apply to court for a possession order.

If your property isn't in England, check the rules for your own nation — the position is genuinely different.

When did the Renters' Rights Act come into force?

The core regime commenced for private assured tenancies in England on 1 May 2026 (by SI 2026/421). From that date Section 21 was abolished, fixed terms ended, and tenancies became periodic. Some related measures are phased in separately, so check gov.uk for any specific provision before acting.

Has Section 21 really been abolished?

Yes, in England from 1 May 2026. A landlord can no longer serve a new Section 21 (Form 6A) no-fault notice. Possession now requires a Section 8 notice on the reformed grounds. A Section 21 notice validly served before 1 May 2026 may still be relied on for a limited period under transitional rules.

Can my landlord still evict me?

Yes, but only on a stated legal ground — the Act removed no-fault eviction, not eviction itself. A landlord can seek possession for serious rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, a breach of the tenancy, moving in, or selling, among others. Some grounds are mandatory and some are discretionary, and notice periods vary.

What's the new rent arrears threshold?

The mandatory arrears ground (Ground 8) now needs at least three months of unpaid rent, up from two, with a four-week notice period. The arrears generally must be at that level both when the notice is served and at the hearing. Confirm the current figures on gov.uk.

Does it apply in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?

No — these changes are England only. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each reformed renting under their own laws, summarised above.

What does it mean that tenancies are now periodic?

Fixed terms were abolished, so a private assured tenancy in England now rolls on a periodic basis rather than locking you in for a set term. A tenant can usually end it by giving notice; a landlord can only end it on a valid Section 8 ground. Check gov.uk or take advice for the detailed notice rules.

This guide is general information about the law in England, not legal advice, and it doesn't create a solicitor–client relationship. The law and the prescribed forms can change. Before serving or responding to any notice, or making a decision about a tenancy, confirm the current position on gov.uk and consider advice from a qualified solicitor or a service such as Citizens Advice or Shelter.