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The Renters’ Rights Act introduces key changes affecting both landlords and tenants. The Act received Royal Assent (formal approval) on 27 October 2025, aiming to create a fairer and balanced system for both tenants and landlords.
Abolition of Section 21 No‑Fault Evictions
One of the biggest changes is the end of Section 21 no‑fault evictions. These will be abolished from 1 May 2026. Until that point, the current rules still apply, and landlords can serve Section 21 notices. Court proceedings in respect of any Section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026 can still be commenced in the courts as long as the case begins by 31 July 2026.
After May 2026, landlords will have to use Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 if they need to regain possession. This system requires landlords to rely on specific grounds, such as serious rent arrears or the need to move back in themselves, rather than simply asking a tenant to leave without reason.
Section 8 Housing Act 1988 – The New Primary Route for Possession
Once Section 21 evictions are abolished, landlords must rely solely on Section 8 grounds for possession. These grounds require landlords to evidence a specific reason for eviction. They fall into two categories:
- Mandatory grounds – where the court must grant possession if the evidence is met
- Discretionary grounds – where the court decides whether eviction is reasonable.
To account for the loss of no-fault evictions, Section 8 grounds have been adjusted to make the system fairer to both landlords and tenants. The rent arrears threshold for a mandatory eviction (Ground 8) will increase from 2 months to 3 months, where rent is paid monthly. On top of this, the notice period for arrears cases will rise from 2 weeks to 4 weeks. These changes are intended to give tenants more breathing room, while still enabling landlords to act when rent is seriously overdue.
The grounds have also been updated for landlords wishing to move into the property or sell it, namely Ground 1 and Ground 1A. To prevent the misuse of the “moving in” or “selling” grounds, tenants will now have a 12‑month protected period at the start of their tenancy. This means landlords cannot evict them in order to move into the property themselves or to sell it during this time.
If a landlord does use a moving‑in or selling ground after the protected period, they must not re‑let or market the property for 12 months. An exception applies only to shared owners using the selling ground (Ground 1A), where they can show they genuinely attempted to sell.
The Landlord Registration and PRS Database
From late 2026, the government plans to roll out a national Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database. All private landlords will have to register and pay an annual fee. This registration will include:
• Full landlord contact details, including for joint landlords
• Property information (address, property type, number of bedrooms, occupancy details, etc.)
• Safety documentation such as Gas Safety Certificates, Electrical Installation Condition Reports, and EPCs
The aim is to give tenants confidence that their landlord and property meet required standards, and to help councils enforce housing rules more effectively.
How Glanvilles can help
With Section 21 being abolished on 1 May 2026, landlords still have a brief window to use the current no-fault eviction process. Our Dispute Resolution team can check your notice is valid, ensure all legal requirements are met, and issue your possession claim before the 31 July 2026 deadline. We can also guide landlords through the new Section 8 process, ensuring compliance with the changes.
References:
Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act - GOV.UK
Article written by Thara Elias, Trainee Solicitor Apprentice, and assisted by Tom Oliver, Partner Associate, in our Dispute Resolution team.
Contact Glanvilles Solicitors
Contact our Chichester office today on 01243 787899 or by email at hello@glanvilles.co.uk
The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute, legal advice, and should not be relied upon as advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article. All content was correct at the time of publishing. Legal advice should always be sought in relation to specific circumstances.