The Renters’ Rights Act 2026: What Residential Landlords Need to Know About Evictions

From 1 May 2026, the legal landscape for residential landlords in England will change fundamentally. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduces the most significant reform of the private rented sector in a generation, with a particular focus on security of tenure and the removal of “no‑fault” evictions.

For landlords, these changes require a shift in how tenancies are managed and, crucially, how possession of a property can lawfully be recovered.

This article outlines the key changes affecting evictions and what landlords should be doing now to prepare.

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The End of Section 21 “No‑Fault” Evictions

The headline reform is the abolition of Section 21 notices from 1 May 2026. From that date, landlords will no longer be able to evict a tenant without giving a legally recognised reason – in most cases, without the tenant being in breach of the tenancy agreement.

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All Tenancies Become Periodic

From 1 May 2026, all assured shorthold tenancies automatically convert into assured periodic tenancies. Fixed‑term tenancies will cease to exist as the default model.

This means:

• Tenancies will continue indefinitely unless ended by the tenant or terminated by the landlord using a valid statutory ground.
• Tenants will generally be entitled to leave by giving two months’ notice.
• Landlords will no longer be able to rely on the expiry of a fixed term to recover possession.

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Evictions Will Require a Statutory Ground

With the removal of Section 21, landlords seeking possession will need to rely on the Section 8 process. This requires the landlord to establish one or more statutory grounds for possession, each with its own notice requirements and evidential threshold.

Common grounds include:

• Serious rent arrears
• Anti‑social behaviour or criminal conduct
• Breach of tenancy obligations
• The landlord’s intention to sell the property
• The landlord or a close family member moving into the property

Certain “no‑fault” grounds—such as sale or occupation by the landlord—cannot be used within the first 12 months of a tenancy and require long notice periods.

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Greater Scrutiny and Longer Timescales

The new legislation places a lot more scrutiny on the landlords, and it is foreseeable that even “bad” tenants will be able to avoid eviction if the landlord has committed a minor technical breach of their duty or has not maintained accurate records.

The notice periods required to be given to tenants (even those who are in breach of the tenancy) are generally

Further, because all possessions must now include an element of fault, they will necessarily involve court proceedings and a trial. Therefore, this process itself will invariably take longer – and if the reason for eviction is non-payment of rent, it is likely that the landlord will be left severely out of pocket by this timescale.

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What Should Landlords Be Doing Now?

With the changes imminent, landlords should:

• Provide your tenants with the Renters Right Act information sheet (or, if there is no written tenancy, the key information about the tenancy). The information sheet is available from the government website. Failure to provide this in the manner required before 31 May 2026 could result in a fine of up to £7,000.
• Review existing tenancies and understand how they will convert to periodic arrangements
• If there are any concerns with your tenants or you may not wish to continue the tenancy indefinitely, consider serving a Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026
• Consider taking out insurance for non-payment of rent, and consider instructing
• Update internal processes for managing rent arrears and tenancy breaches
• Ensure documentation and compliance records are complete and up to date and, for amateur landlords, consider instructing a professional agent to take over this responsibility moving forward.
• Ensure proper and detailed checks are carried out against any potential new tenants, and appropriate deposits are taken (and properly held in a deposit protection scheme).

If you would like guidance on navigating the Renters’ Rights Act or any potential disputes arising from it, please contact our experienced Dispute Resolution team on 01892 510 222 or email info@bussmurton.co.uk.