No-fault evictions banned from May 2026

The Government has confirmed that no-fault evictions will become illegal in England from May 1, as it set a deadline for sweeping reforms for tenants.

The changes also see the end of fixed-term tenancy contracts, as tenants move onto so-called “rolling” agreements, as well as the end of “bidding wars” and clearer rules on keeping pets.

Landlords have said the reforms will increase screening of potential tenants and have expressed concerns about what will happen if tenancy defaults occur.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the Government was “calling the call of time” on “rogue landlords” by introducing a number of measures in the Tenants’ Rights Act.

“We are now only a few months down the road from that legislation coming into effect – so good landlords can prepare and bad landlords must clean up their act,” he said.

Shadow Housing Secretary Sir James Cleverley said the reforms would “drive landlords out of the market, reduce supply and raise prices for tenants”.

“With a start date of May 2026, we are now prepared for a six-month fire sale in which tenants will be forced out at short notice,” he said.

Nearly 4.4 million homes in England were rented from a private landlord between 2021 and 2023. The new rules will affect more than 11 million people.

The Renters’ Rights Act – described as the biggest blow to renting in England for more than 30 years – was formally approved at the end of October.

While many tenants welcomed the introduction of the timeline, some landlords expressed concerns about the speed of the changes.

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said the time frame alone was “not enough” to implement the changes.

He added: “We have consistently argued that landlords and property businesses need at least six months from publication of the rules to ensure the sector is properly prepared for the biggest changes it has seen in more than 40 years.”

From May, properties will be rented on a “periodic” or rolling basis, rather than fixed 12 or 24 month contracts.

Tenants who want to leave can give two months’ notice, which the government says will prevent tenants from paying rent for substandard properties.

Landlords will no longer be able to evict tenants if they complain about poor conditions.

By June, bailiffs had repossessed the homes of more than 11,000 families in England following Section 21 evictions.

Victoria, 25, had to suspend studying for her degree after receiving a Section 21 expulsion notice in March.

She was living in Durham while studying at Northumbria University and believes the eviction was partly due to complaints about the condition of the property.

“I had no choice but to go back to my parents and I was devastated.”

Kerry Portman, 27, became homeless in 2020 after reporting mold critical to environmental health in her Cambridgeshire flat.

The council placed her in temporary accommodation while the landlord was asked to resolve the problem, but she was still stuck paying rent.

She said: “I think it’s outrageous that the landlord continues to charge me full rent…after all, he didn’t really face any barriers.”

A few weeks after returning, she was given a Section 21 notice, leaving her homeless. She took naps in public bathrooms, slept on long bus routes and showered at her gym.

“I think it’s ridiculous that your entire safety net and foundation can be taken away at the whim of the landlord,” Kerry said.

Ten homes owned by the same landlord in Hackney, east London, said they were recently issued Section 21 notices without reason.

One of the affected tenants, who did not want to be named, said she was “really nervous”.

“We were looking for a location around this time last year and it took us three to four months to find it,” he said.

The government confirmed that all Section 21 notices issued before May will be valid, but said landlords will have until 31 July 2026 to start court possession proceedings.

The change to the existing system means that, from May 1, landlords will only be able to evict tenants in certain circumstances: if tenants damage a property, engage in anti-social behaviour, or are significantly behind in paying rent.

Maureen Treadwell contacted BBC News with concerns about the new law. His family rented out 10 properties in Hampshire.

“There are stiff penalties if you do something wrong, so the whole thing seems anti-landlord,” he said.

He expressed his fear that, without reforming the court system to evict bad tenants, there would be an exodus of people who wanted to rent out their homes.

“Is it worth renting out your house and then fighting in court or waiting a year to get it back? It’s not worth it. So this will make the housing crisis even worse.”

Reid told the BBC that he was “working closely with the Ministry of Justice to look at how we can ensure that there are not undue delays” in situations where a landlord wanted to evict a misbehaving tenant.

Additionally, if landlords want to sell or transfer the property they will be able to evict tenants, but not in the first 12 months after the tenancy begins.

The new laws also include banning bidding wars and discrimination against parents and those receiving benefits, as well as establishing a clearer process for those renting with pets.

Many tenants’ groups have welcomed the changes. The Renters Reform Coalition – which includes Shelter, Generation Rent and Citizens Advice – says Section 21 is “a big issue”.

Shelter’s Mary McRae said, “It’s not the prospect of giving tenants these vital rights that is driving record homelessness, but the blatant injustice of no-fault evictions.”

The Tenant Rights Act applies to England. Scotland ended no-fault evictions in 2017, but Wales and Northern Ireland still have no-fault evictions similar to section 21. In 2022, Wales extended the notice period for these to six months.