Glossary · UK
What is Section 21 Notice?
A no-fault eviction notice that landlords in England can use to end an assured shorthold tenancy without giving a reason, requiring at least two months' written notice.
Full Definition
A Section 21 notice takes its name from Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 and allows a landlord to end an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) without needing to prove any fault by the tenant -- hence the term "no-fault eviction." A valid Section 21 notice must give the tenant at least two months' notice (or the length of a rental period if longer than two months in periodic tenancies). There are several conditions that prevent a landlord from serving a valid Section 21 notice: the notice cannot be served in the first four months of the tenancy; the landlord must have provided the tenant with a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), a current Gas Safety Certificate, and the government's How to Rent guide at the start of the tenancy; the deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme; and the landlord must not have failed to deal with a formal complaint about the property's condition. If the tenant does not leave after the notice expires, the landlord must apply to court for a possession order. As of June 2026, Section 21 remains in force in England, though it was a central target of the Renters' Rights Bill (formerly the Renters' Reform Bill) currently progressing through Parliament, which proposes abolishing Section 21 entirely. Scotland abolished equivalent no-fault evictions in 2017.