For thirty-five years a landlord in England could end a tenancy with two months' notice and no reason. Since 1 May 2026, that power is gone. If a "section 21" notice lands on your mat today, it is waste paper, and some landlords are counting on you not knowing.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished the assured shorthold tenancy and with it the section 21 notice. Tenancies are now periodic assured tenancies, and a landlord who wants possession needs a reason the law recognises: serious arrears, sale, moving in themselves, and the other statutory grounds, each with its own notice period and evidence.
A section 21 notice served now has no legal force. Even the legitimate grounds have process: proper notice on the proper form, and only a court can actually order you out. "You have to leave in two weeks" is, legally, noise.
Harassment and lock-outs remain criminal offences under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, unchanged and regularly prosecuted.
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Check where I stand, free →This guide covers England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate (and different) tenancy regimes. This is guidance to help you understand your rights, not formal legal advice, and we're entirely independent: no affiliation with Citizens Advice, GOV.UK or any law firm. Every quotation above links to the official text so you can check us. Law verified current at July 2026.