The most significant change in the Act. From 1 May 2026, landlords will no longer be able to serve a Section 21 notice. There must be a reason to evict your tenant. The ‘accelerated procedure’ — which allowed eviction without a court hearing — is also abolished and all process is done using the same old section 8 route as before referred to as the standard route.

Therefore citing a specific statutory ground and providing evidence. There is also New & Updated Section 8 Grounds for Possession:

Section 8 becomes the only route to possession. The grounds fall into two categories:

Mandatory Grounds (Court Must Grant Possession)

Selling the property: You may use a mandatory ground to sell, but not in the first 12 months of a tenancy. Four months’ notice must be given.

Moving in: If you (or a close family member) wish to move into the property, the same 12-month restriction and 4-month notice period apply.

Serious rent arrears: The mandatory eviction threshold rises from 2 months to 3 months’ arrears.

Major renovation: Possession is available where substantial works require vacant possession.

Discretionary Grounds (Court Weighs Up Circumstances)

Anti-social behaviour, persistent minor rent arrears, breach of tenancy terms, and other grounds remain, but a judge will consider all evidence from both sides.

What this means in practice

Landlords should keep good records throughout every tenancy — rent payment history, maintenance requests, communications, and inspection reports.

End of Fixed-Term Tenancies — All Tenancies become periodic. An unusual contract when the tenancy begins as you cannot elect to serve a notice to sell for the first 12 months of a tenancy creating a twelve month fixed term tenancy for the tenant whereas the tenant can give notice to leave on a whim. The notice must expire after the twelve month period.