The Renters’ Rights Act 2025: 31 July 2026 deadline for Section 21 and Section 8 claims

Our hub bringing together all of our Renters' Rights Act 2025 material is here:  The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 hub

Our guide to the Renters' Rights Act 2025 can be downloaded for free:  The Renters' Rights Act 2025

Our webinar on the Renters' Rights Act 2025 can be watched here:  Renters Rights Act 2025 - what you need to know.   

Section 21 notices

From 1 May 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 abolished the operation of “no-fault” evictions following notice served under Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.   

But there are transitional provisions that have kept open a window for action where a Section 21 notice was served before 1 May 2026.   That window will shortly close.  

If a Section 21 notice was been served before 1 May 2026, then if the notice has since expired and the tenant has not vacated, the landlord must issue their claim at court no later than 31 July 2026.  

If the landlord does not do this, they will be unable to reply upon the Section 21 notice, and instead will have to deal with the recovery of the property as an Assured Periodic Tenancy - see the material above for details of what that means in practice.

Section 8 notices

Landlords should also be aware that the deadline of 31 July applies to any Section 8 notice served before 1 May. 

If a landlord has served a Section 8 notice based on e.g. rent arrears, and the tenant has not paid those arrears, the landlord must have their claim issued with the court no later than 31 July 2026.  Again, if they fail to do so then they will not be able to rely upon the Section 8 Notice. 

In that instance, a new Section 8 Notice will need to be served on the tenant if they are still in arrears, and that notice must comply with the new rules for the grounds for possession, i.e. for rent arrears, the notice period has been extended from 2 weeks to 3, and the rent arrears have increased from 2 months to 3. 

Written with Ryan Small and Rosie Collier

There are transitional provisions that have kept open a window for action where a Section 21 notice was served before 1 May 2026. That window will shortly close.