More than 28,000 landlords used section 21 to make evictions last year, according to Ministry of Justice data.

The data shows that 28,598 accelerated possession claims were made in 2025 – a process that relied entirely on section 21 and will be abolished under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 from 1 May.

Accelerated possession was a faster, often hearing-free route through the county courts, available only where a landlord held a valid section 21 notice.

Solicitors Clifton Ingram said this system was widely used because it was straightforward and the path of least resistance when seeking possession.

Landlords who want to recover possession now must rely on one of the new statutory grounds:

• Serious rent arrears • Anti-social behaviour • The landlord’s intention to sell • The landlord or a close family member wishing to move in

They must serve a Section 8 notice, cite the relevant ground, and usually be prepared to demonstrate it in court.

Clifton Ingram joint head of dispute resolution and litigation David Goddard said: “The accelerated possession figures show how much of the market relied on a process that no longer exists.

“Landlords must now understand what has replaced it. Possession grounds under the new regime are either mandatory – where the court must grant possession if the ground is established – or discretionary – where the court decides whether it is reasonable to do so. This distinction affects how predictable the outcome will be.

“The key practical point is that landlords must now serve a Section 8 notice, cite the correct ground, observe the right notice period and be prepared to go to court if necessary. Those steps require preparation.”

For tenants, the change is equally significant. Section 21 – the so-called “no-fault eviction” – had long been a source of insecurity in the private rental sector.

Many renters were reluctant to raise concerns about disrepair, rent increases or other issues for fear of receiving a section 21 notice. The abolition of that route means tenants can no longer be asked to leave without a lawful reason.

The Renters’ Rights Act also changes the fundamental structure of private tenancies. Assured shorthold tenancies have been replaced by assured periodic tenancies, meaning tenancies now roll on rather than ending at a fixed term. A written end date no longer obliges a tenant to leave.

The Act also bans rental bidding, limits rent increases to once per year through a statutory process, caps advance rent at one month, and gives tenants the right to request a pet – which landlords cannot refuse without good reason.