Section 21 eviction notice: why you can no longer serve one
If you are searching for a Section 21 eviction notice – a template, the rules, or Form 6A – stop before you serve anything: Section 21 was abolished in England on 1 May 2026. A Section 21 notice served today has no legal effect, and pursuing possession on the back of one wastes months and court fees. Here is what it was, and what you serve now.
What a Section 21 notice was
Under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, a landlord could end an assured shorthold tenancy with two months' notice and no reason – the "no-fault" eviction. It required the prescribed Form 6A, and validity depended on compliance: deposit protected, gas certificate and EPC served, How to Rent guide given. For thirty-five years it was the default way tenancies ended.
Why it no longer exists
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished assured shorthold tenancies, fixed terms and Section 21 together. Every tenancy is now an assured periodic tenancy, and possession requires a reason the law recognises. The change applies to existing tenancies as well as new ones – there is no legacy route for agreements signed before 2026. Full background: is Section 21 abolished?
What to serve instead
A Section 8 notice citing one or more statutory grounds from Schedule 2 to the Housing Act 1988. The main grounds landlords now rely on:
- Selling the property – mandatory ground, not usable in the first 12 months of a tenancy, with re-letting restrictions afterwards.
- Landlord or close family moving in – mandatory, same 12-month bar.
- Serious rent arrears – mandatory at the statutory threshold.
- Antisocial behaviour and breach of tenancy terms – discretionary grounds where the court weighs reasonableness.
Our Section 8 guide AboutAll guides → covers each ground and its notice period; the wider process is in how to end a periodic tenancy.
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Start my agreement →Frequently asked questions
Can a landlord still serve a Section 21 notice?
No. Section 21 was abolished by the Renters' Rights Act and no new Section 21 notice can be served for tenancies under the Act.
What replaced Section 21?
The Section 8 grounds process: possession now requires a statutory ground such as selling, moving in, serious arrears, breach, or antisocial behaviour, each with its own notice period.
What if I want to sell my rented property?
Use the selling ground: four months' notice, not usable in the first twelve months of the tenancy, followed by a court order if the tenant does not leave.