Landlords who served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 must issue possession proceedings in court by 31 July 2026 or the notice expires permanently.
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.
A Section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026 remains valid only if possession proceedings are commenced within the required timeframe. Proceedings must be issued by the earlier of six months from the date of service or 31 July 2026. This creates a hard longstop date: 31 July 2026 is the absolute and final deadline for issuing proceedings relying on Section 21.
If a landlord served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 but fails to issue possession proceedings by 31 July 2026, the notice becomes unenforceable. The landlord will then need to start again under the new Section 8 framework.
Court delays are already significant, and the transition to the new regime is expected to increase demand on the possession claims system considerably. Landlords with notices issued in late April or early May 2026 ? where six months from service would ordinarily extend beyond 31 July ? must still file by 31 July, as that date overrides the usual six-month rule. Proceedings can be issued via the online possession claims portal or by submitting physical paperwork to the county court.
Action required
If you served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 and have not yet applied to court, you must lodge a possession claim by 31 July 2026 at the latest. After that date, the notice becomes unenforceable and you must proceed under the new Section 8 grounds instead.
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.