Landlords who served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 have until 31 July 2026 to file possession proceedings in court. Any Section 21 notice for which a possession claim is not issued by that date will lapse permanently and cannot be relied upon. The abolition of Section 21 on 1 May 2026 is now in force; this transitional window is the final route for use of the pre-RRA eviction procedure.
Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 was abolished on 1 May 2026 by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. A landlord cannot give a tenant a Section 21 notice on or after 1 May 2026, even if the tenancy agreement says they can. However, transitional provisions protect landlords who had already served a valid notice before the commencement date.
Transitional deadline Transitional provisions mean that if a private landlord has already served their tenant with a valid Section 21 eviction notice before 1 May 2026, they must begin court possession proceedings on or before 31 July 2026. This is a hard stop: landlords cannot start the court process after 31 July 2026, even if the notice would otherwise still be valid. An exception applies where the tenant was in a "breathing space" debt moratorium, which may extend the deadline. Landlords should seek legal advice if this applies.
Prescribed forms during the transition During this transitional period, landlords may continue to use the pre-May 2026 prescribed forms (under the Assured Tenancies and Agricultural Occupancies (Forms) (England) Regulations 2015) rather than the new Form 3A, but only for the specific proceedings covered by the transitional notice. A landlord letting a private property in England who serves a valid Section 8 or Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, and whose notice has not expired immediately before that date, should continue using the current assured tenancy forms while that notice remains valid; the current forms can only be used on or after 1 May if one of the specified transitional situations applies.
New proceedings from 1 May 2026 For all new possession proceedings commenced on or after 1 May 2026, landlords must use Form 3A (the new Section 8 Notice) citing one or more of the revised grounds for possession under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Form 3A is the form for landlords who want to seek possession of a privately rented property let under an assured tenancy or an assured agricultural occupancy from 1 May 2026, and is also known as a Section 8 notice. Landlords are advised to ensure that all required pre-conditions for their chosen possession ground, including deposit protection compliance, are met before serving any new notice, as failure to satisfy pre-conditions will invalidate the notice.
Action required
If you served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 that has not yet expired or been acted upon, you must issue possession proceedings at court no later than 31 July 2026 or the notice lapses. After 31 July 2026, no Section 21-based possession claim may be initiated under any circumstances. You may use the existing (pre-May 2026) prescribed forms only for those specific transitional proceedings. New possession claims must use Form 3A.
Effective
2026-07-31
This content is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Always verify information against the original source and seek independent professional guidance before acting on any regulatory matter.