Section 21 “no-fault” evictions increasing by 1.7% in 2025 following a sharp 20.4% surge the previous year, according to LegalforLandlords.

There were an estimated 11,586 Section 21 evictions in 2025, highlighting landlords’ continued reliance on Section 21 notices, especially considering they are to be outlawed under the Renters’ Rights Act, which comes into force on the 1st May.

Sim Sekhon, Group CEO at LegalforLandlords, said: “The Renters’ Rights Act marks a fundamental shift in the private rental sector, removing Section 21 and placing greater emphasis on justified possession. While that may feel like a loss of control for some landlords, it doesn’t remove their ability to protect their assets, it simply changes how they do it. 

“The key will be understanding and correctly using the expanded Section 8 grounds, whether that’s addressing rent arrears, responding to tenant behaviour, or reclaiming a property to sell or house family. Landlords who take a proactive, informed approach, supported by the right legal expertise, will still be able to regain possession where there is a legitimate need, while remaining fully compliant in a more structured regulatory environment.”

To evict a tenant from 1st May, landlords will need to serve a Section 8 notice of seeking possession, citing one or more legally defined grounds. Such grounds will include failure to pay rent on time, anti-social behaviour, property damage, and so on. 

However, and this is vitally important for landlords to understand, the RRA also states that a Section 8 notice can also be issued due to changes in the landlord’s own circumstances. These may include a need to sell the property, move into the property themselves, or house close family members.