1. The short answer: Section 21 ends on 1 May 2026

If you are searching when will section 21 be scrapped, the current official answer for most private landlords in England is 1 May 2026. According to the government’s Royal Assent announcement, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 became law on 27 October 2025. According to the government’s implementation roadmap, the first phase starts on 1 May 2026, and that phase abolishes Section 21 in the private rented sector.

Change note: this reform is no longer sitting at “bill” stage. It has already become law, and the remaining question is implementation timing, not whether abolition will happen.

This guide is for landlords and owners in England. That matters, because the Section 21 discussion here is about the English private rented sector, not a single UK-wide rental rule.

2. What changes on 1 May 2026

2.1 Section 21 goes, and the tenancy model changes with it

This is bigger than a notice-form change. Under the government’s implementation roadmap and the GOV.UK guide to the Renters’ Rights Act, the same Phase 1 date also moves the vast majority of new and existing private rented sector tenancies onto assured periodic tenancies. In practice, landlords lose the old Section 21 backstop and the system moves away from the usual AST model people have relied on for years.

2.2 What replaces it

After Section 21 is abolished, landlords will need to rely on possession grounds instead of a no-fault route. That means the legal conversation becomes less about “can I serve Section 21?” and more about “do I have a valid ground, the right evidence, and the right notice period?” The broad direction is clear in the GOV.UK guide to the Renters’ Rights Act: landlords will still be able to recover possession in specified circumstances, but the route becomes more structured and more evidence-led.

2.3 Can landlords still get a property back to sell or move in?

Yes, but not with the same flexibility as the old system. Under the GOV.UK guide to the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords can still use possession grounds where they genuinely need to sell or move into the property, but not during the first 12 months of a new tenancy, and they must give 4 months’ notice when using those grounds. That is a material change for owners who like to keep sale, refinance, or personal-use options open at short notice.

Working out whether long-term letting still fits this property?

3. What happens to existing tenancies and notices

One of the most important practical points is that this is not only about new lets signed after the law changes. According to the GOV.UK guide to the Renters’ Rights Act, the new tenancy system is intended to apply in one stage, with existing private tenancies converting into the new system when the reforms take effect. The same guide also says the transition keeps the validity of notices served before implementation, which matters for landlords already mid-process.

Until 1 May 2026, current Section 21 rules still matter. Under the GOV.UK Section 21 and Section 8 notice guidance, a Section 21 notice currently needs to give at least 2 months’ notice, and landlords must still satisfy the usual conditions around deposit protection and prescribed documents. So this is not a reason to become casual about current compliance just because the regime is about to change.

If you already have written PRS tenancies in place, the government’s roadmap says you do not need to reissue those agreements, but you will need to provide the government information sheet by 31 May 2026. That is the kind of operational admin point landlords often miss when they focus only on the headline about Section 21.

4. What landlords should review now

The sensible move now is not panic, and not a rushed pivot. It is a clean review of how exposed each property is to the loss of a no-fault exit route. Start with your tenancy dates, arrears history, property plans, and whether you may need the asset back for sale, refurbishment, or family use in the next 12 to 24 months. The closer those needs are, the more the Section 21 change matters to you.

Then review the basics that tend to create problems when landlords need to act quickly: paperwork, deposit handling, gas and safety records, evidence of communication with the tenant, and the practical case for keeping the property in long-term letting at all. This is also a good place to cross-read our Renters Reform Bill guide for UK landlords if you want the wider picture beyond Section 21 alone.

Before you change strategy, sanity-check the numbers against your actual address.

5. Does this mean short-term letting is automatically the better option?

No. It may be the better option for some owners, but it is not a universal fix.

The real advantage of a short-let model is operational flexibility. You are not relying on a long AST exit route to regain calendar control. But that flexibility only matters if the property can legally and commercially support short stays. Before changing strategy, work through your short-term let licence in England checks, your planning permission for short-term lets in the UK questions, your holiday let fire regulations in the UK obligations, and your holiday let business rates and council tax position. You should also revisit the wider legal essentials for UK Airbnb hosts before making any change.

That means checking lease terms, mortgage consent, insurance wording, building rules, local planning risk, safety duties, and whether the location actually has the demand profile to outperform a long let after management costs. For some properties the answer will be yes. For others, the smarter move will be staying long-term and tightening processes around the new rules.

6. When a switch to short lets is more likely to make sense

A move into short lets tends to make more sense where the owner values flexibility more than fixed tenancy continuity, the location has durable guest demand, and the property can be run compliantly without lease or planning friction. It can also make more sense for owners who do not want the day-to-day burden, but still want to keep the asset and test whether a managed short-let model produces better income or better control.

What should not drive the decision is a simple fear headline. Section 21 ending is important, but the better question is whether your property still fits the long-term model you originally chose, or whether the new legal landscape changes that risk-reward balance enough to justify a different use.

If this law change is pushing you to rethink the whole model, start with a realistic benchmark.

7. Final answer: when will Section 21 be scrapped?

For England’s private rented sector, Section 21 is due to end from 1 May 2026. The law itself has already passed. The next job for landlords is preparation: understand what replaces Section 21, review any tenancy that may be affected, and only consider a move to short lets after checking the local rules and the numbers properly.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Always speak to a qualified adviser about your situation.

FAQ

Is Section 21 already scrapped?

Not yet. As of today, the official implementation date for abolition in England’s private rented sector is 1 May 2026, so current Section 21 rules still apply until then.

Does this apply across the whole UK?

No. This article is about the English private rented sector reforms. Always check the rules for the exact nation and tenancy type you are dealing with.

Can a landlord still recover a property to sell or move in after Section 21 ends?

Yes. The official government guide says those possession grounds remain, but tenants get a 12-month protected period at the start of a new tenancy and landlords must give 4 months’ notice on those grounds.

What happens to existing ASTs?

The government’s current position is that the new tenancy system will apply in one stage, so existing private tenancies convert into the new system when the reforms take effect.

Are short lets outside all of this?

Typical holiday and short-let arrangements are not the same as standard assured tenancies, but they are not regulation-free. Planning, safety, permissions, insurance, and tax still matter.