Landlords across England are rushing to serve section 21 no-fault eviction notices before the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force on 1 May 2026, according to tenant organisations reporting a sharp uptick in cases.
The renters’ union Acorn has reported that no-fault evictions accounted for roughly one in five member reports in October, climbing to nearly one in three by January, a trajectory the organisation says is no coincidence. The trend has been mirrored by tenant groups in dense urban rental markets where demand is fiercest.
The Renters’ Rights Act, which completed its passage through parliament last year, will abolish section 21 of the Housing Act, removing the ability for landlords to evict tenants without providing grounds to the court. However, proceedings initiated before the 1 May deadline will be permitted to continue under the existing framework, a transitional provision that appears to be concentrating landlord activity into the final weeks.
One case drawing attention involves a London homelessness charity, the 999 Club, which owns residential property in Lewisham. A long-standing tenant claims she was served a section 21 notice following a disputed 11 per cent rent increase, with the property subsequently advertised at a price 36 per cent above her current rent. The charity has denied using eviction as a means to raise rents, stating that enforcement action is taken only on robust legal advice and in response to persistent issues.
Hugh Wilkinson, head of housing at the Central England Law Centre, said his team in Coventry and Birmingham has seen a notable rise in section 21 cases, with long-term tenants blindsided by eviction notices from landlords with whom they had stable relationships. The courts, he noted, are not required to consider the length of a tenancy or the perceived fairness of an eviction under the current rules.
The Greater Manchester Tenants Union has reported a similar pattern. One of its organisers described being served a section 21 notice after challenging a proposed 29 per cent rent increase, suggesting the timing was linked directly to the impending legislative change.
The National Residential Landlords Association offered a more measured perspective. Meera Chindooroy, deputy director for campaigns, said landlords are reviewing their tenant arrangements ahead of May and weighing whether existing tenancies present risks they would rather resolve under the current legal framework, including rent arrears or antisocial behaviour concerns.
For property investors, the message is clear: the window to use section 21 is closing rapidly. Once the new regime takes effect, landlords will need to rely on specified grounds for possession, a process widely expected to be slower and more heavily scrutinised. Investors would be well advised to review their portfolios now, take legal advice on any problematic tenancies, and prepare for a post-section 21 landscape in which robust tenancy management and proper documentation will be more important than ever.
The housing charity Shelter said the current wave of last-minute evictions underscored the urgency of the reform, describing it as evidence of precisely the kind of behaviour the legislation was designed to prevent.
