What Replaces Section 21 After May 2026?
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Section 8 possession grounds replace Section 21. New grounds are being added including landlord sale and family moving in. All evictions will require a specific reason. Landlords can no longer end tenancies without cause.
What replaces Section 21?
Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 becomes the only eviction route. It has always existed alongside Section 21, but now it's the sole option.
The key change: you'll always need a reason to end a tenancy.
What are the new possession grounds?
Two new mandatory grounds are added: Ground 1A for selling the property and expanded Ground 1 for family occupation. Both require 12 months of tenancy first.
Ground 1A (NEW): Landlord intends to sell
- Mandatory ground
- 12 months minimum tenancy before using
- 4 months' notice required
- Must genuinely intend to sell
Ground 1 (expanded): Family occupation
- Mandatory ground
- 12 months tenancy requirement
- 4 months' notice
- For landlord or close family to live in
How is Section 8 different from Section 21?
Section 21 required no reason and was almost guaranteed to succeed if valid. Section 8 requires proving a specific ground, court hearings are contested, and discretionary grounds can fail even if proved.
| Aspect | Section 21 | Section 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Reason needed | No | Yes |
| Court hearing | Paper-based (accelerated) | Full hearing |
| Success rate | Near 100% if valid | Depends on ground/evidence |
| Notice period | 2 months | 2 weeks to 4 months |
How do I prepare for the change?
Start documenting everything now. Section 8 is evidence-based. Good record-keeping of rent payments, property condition, communications, and any issues gives you options if you ever need to seek possession.
Managing this yourself?
LandlordOS helps UK landlords stay compliant and organised:
- Automatic compliance reminders for Gas Safety, EICR, EPC
- Document storage with AI-powered certificate reading
- Tenancy tracking and rent management
LandlordOS tip
Learn Section 8 before you need it. Understand which grounds apply to different situations. The landlords who struggle post-abolition will be those who never used Section 8 and don't understand the evidence requirements.