Any Section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026 will automatically lapse if the landlord has not issued a claim for possession proceedings at court by 31 July 2026. Landlords relying on pre-commencement Section 21 notices must act before that date or the notice becomes void.
A tenancy will remain an assured shorthold tenancy after 1 May 2026 if the landlord has already started a possession claim before 1 May 2026 and it is still ongoing, or applied to court between 1 May and 31 July 2026 on the basis of a valid Section 21 or Section 8 notice served before 1 May 2026.
Any notice will automatically expire on 31 July 2026 if the landlord has not applied to court by then, regardless of how much time would otherwise remain on the notice. If the notice expires before a possession order has been applied for, the tenancy will become an assured periodic tenancy on the date of expiry. From that point, the landlord will need to follow the RRA rules, including serving the Information Sheet or written statement on all tenants within one month.
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. Once court proceedings conclude ? which is likely to mean the point at which a bailiff enforces a possession order ? the tenancy ceases to be an assured shorthold tenancy and the RRA regime applies fully.
While a tenancy continues as an assured shorthold tenancy under the transitional provisions, Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the RRA does not apply. Among other things, this means a fixed-term tenancy continues if one is in place, and the landlord can still rely on the Section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026. Landlords who miss the 31 July 2026 court deadline will lose their Section 21 route permanently and must switch to grounds-based Section 8 possession.
Action required
If you served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 and have not yet issued court proceedings, you must submit the possession claim to the county court on or before 31 July 2026. After that date the notice automatically expires regardless of how much time would otherwise remain on it. Once it lapses, the tenancy converts to an assured periodic tenancy and you must follow RRA possession rules going forward.
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.