The government’s Renters’ Rights Bill is set to bring a major shift for landlords across England. Once passed into law, it will abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions in a single move.
This has been one of the bill’s main objectives – similar to what the previous Conservative government aimed to deliver through its own Renters (Reform) Bill.
Although Labour pledged an immediate end to Section 21 in their 2024 manifesto, it’s expected that the change won’t take effect the moment the bill receives Royal Assent.
However, when the new rules are introduced, they’ll apply to all tenancies from day one. There’ll be no transitional period and no distinction between existing and new tenancies. Everything will change at once.
- When will Section 21 be abolished?
- Can landlords still use a Section 21 notice in 2025?
- How will landlords evict tenants once Section 21 is abolished?
- The main differences between Section 21 and Section 8 evictions
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When will Section 21 be abolished?
While Labour pledged to abolish Section 21 “immediately,” this appears to be more of a statement of intent than a literal timeline.
Realistically, landlords are unlikely to see the end of Section 21 before autumn 2025, and a more probable estimate is early 2026.
This is largely due to the slow pace at which the Renters’ Rights Bill is making its way through parliament, even though it has now passed the halfway point in the legislative process.
It’s also important to remember that Labour’s version of the Bill had to start the entire process from scratch. That’s because it is a completely new piece of legislation, separate from the previous Renters (Reform) Bill, which was shelved ahead of the 2024 general election.
So, while change is certainly on the horizon, landlords still have time to prepare and adjust their practices before Section 21 is formally removed from the statute books.
Why does the government want to scrap it?
Labour wants to abolish Section 21 as part of a wider push to make renting more secure for tenants. Their view is that “no-fault” evictions often leave tenants feeling vulnerable, as they can be asked to leave without any reason, making it hard to challenge poor housing conditions or stand up for their rights.
By removing Section 21, Labour hopes to give tenants more stability and confidence, allowing them to plan ahead without the constant worry of being evicted for no reason.
At the same time, the proposed reforms include strengthening the grounds for possession under Section 8, to ensure landlords still have a fair and workable route to regain their properties when necessary.
Many landlords are concerned about the proposed removal of Section 21, as they see it as taking away an important tool that allows them to quickly regain possession of their property – especially when dealing with difficult tenants.
With the shift to Section 8, landlords worry that evictions will become more complicated and time-consuming, leading to more risks and extra costs.
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Can landlords still use a Section 21 notice in 2025?
Yes, landlords can still serve a Section 21 notice to end a tenancy, as the Renters’ Rights Bill has not yet become law.
However, for your Section 21 notice to be valid, it’s important to ensure you’ve met all your legal obligations. This includes things like protecting your tenant’s deposit in a government-approved scheme and providing them with a gas safety certificate, among other requirements.
To help avoid any mistakes, we recommend using our easy-to-use notice-serving tool, which will generate a Section 21 notice PDF and email it directly to each tenant at the property. This will save you time and ensure everything is done correctly.
How will landlords evict tenants once Section 21 is abolished?
Without Section 21, landlords would need to rely on the existing Section 8 framework to evict tenants.
However, with Section 8, landlords must provide a valid reason for seeking possession of their property, such as rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, or the need to move back in themselves, among other things. These reasons are based on specific legal grounds, which are split into mandatory and discretionary.
The Renters’ Rights Bill, in its current form, proposes several revisions to the existing grounds for possession under Section 8, along with the introduction of new grounds.
One such proposed change is a new mandatory ground that would allow landlords to obtain an order for possession if they intend to sell the property.
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The main differences between Section 21 and Section 8 evictions
A Section 21 notice (officially known as Form 6A) is a formal notice a landlord can serve to bring an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) to an end.
Often referred to as a “no-fault” eviction, it allows landlords to regain possession of their property without needing to give a reason, provided the correct process is followed and notice periods are met.
However, once the Renters’ Rights Bill comes into force, Section 21 notices will no longer be available. Landlords will instead need to rely solely on Section 8 notices to end tenancies.
The key difference is that a Section 8 notice requires the landlord to give a valid reason for seeking possession – such as rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, or a landlord needing to move back in – based on one or more legal grounds. These grounds are split into mandatory and discretionary.
In addition, every Section 8 eviction must go through the courts. This has raised concerns in the sector about increased pressure on an already stretched court system once Section 21 is removed.
That said, it’s worth keeping some perspective. According to the latest English Private Landlord Survey, just 6% of tenancies ended through eviction in 2024, and not all of those involved Section 21 notices. For the majority of landlords, tenancies still end by mutual agreement or through other means.
