News from 8 April 2026
Read the current guide to tenancy rules in England.
Government guidance explained how England’s tenancy reforms affected possession notices served before and after 1 May 2026. The date, type and expiry of an existing notice affected whether transitional rules could be used.
What has changed
The government has published new possession guidance alongside wider Renters’ Rights material ahead of implementation in England on 1 May 2026. The key practical change is that section 21 will fall away for private landlords from that date, and possession after that point will depend on using the section 8 route with a valid ground and the right notice period.
The guidance also explains the transition arrangements for older notices. If a landlord served a section 8 or section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 and that notice had not already expired by 30 April, the case may still continue under the transitional arrangements. This affected cases already under way.
Why the cut-off date matters
In simple terms, there are now two tracks to think about.
For notices served before 1 May 2026, the older rules can still apply. That includes existing section 21 notices and older section 8 notices, provided they were served before the deadline and remain live. The guidance says landlords must still act within the time limits for starting court proceedings. For some older section 8 notices, that means issuing proceedings within 12 months of service or by 31 July 2026, whichever comes first.
For notices served on or after 1 May 2026, landlords will need to use the new post-Act approach. That means a section 8 notice using Form 3A, with the correct ground and correct notice period. The new regime also reflects the wider tenancy reform package, including the move to assured periodic tenancies and the end of fixed-term ASTs in their old form.
What changes for new notices from 1 May
From 1 May, landlords will need a legal ground to seek possession. The landlord overview says many notice periods will usually be four months, although some grounds will carry shorter periods. The government guidance also highlights some specific guardrails that landlords should not miss.
For example, where a landlord wants possession because they plan to sell or move in themselves, that route will not be available within the first 12 months of a tenancy. The updated material also points landlords towards the expanded grounds framework and the newer notice form.
There is also a wider compliance backdrop here. The same reform package brings new paperwork duties, enforcement risk and tighter expectations around how tenancies are run. Our earlier coverage of the Renters’ Rights timetable and the new penalties guidance sits in the same picture.
