Section 21 reform divides landlords and tenants, but relationships remain key to security

The contrast is clear, but the findings also show that supporting the reform and feeling its effects are not the same thing. Only 39% of tenants say they now feel more secure in their current tenancy, including 20% who feel much more secure. Almost a third, 31%, feel no more or less secure, while 13% feel less secure. A further 17% were unsure or had not been aware of the change. 

Section 21 was abolished in England on 1 May 2026 as part of the Renters' Rights Act. Landlords can no longer end an assured tenancy without using a defined legal possession ground. The reform was designed to give tenants greater certainty that they can remain in their home unless there is a valid reason for the tenancy to end.

The scale of Section 21 use helps explain why the reform attracted such attention. Ministry of Justice figures analysed by Shelter show that landlords in England issued 30,729 accelerated possession claims between July 2024 and June 2025, with 11,402 households ultimately repossessed by county court bailiffs through the accelerated procedure.

Before the change, 53% of tenants said they had been very or quite concerned that their landlord might ask them to leave without giving a reason. However, 46% were not very concerned or not concerned at all. That mixed picture is reflected in separate government-commissioned research involving 1,517 private renters. Seven in ten were satisfied with the service provided by their landlord, but 22% said concern about eviction could discourage them from raising a complaint. The findings underline why the quality of the relationship matters alongside the legal framework.

The landlord findings help explain why many take a different view. Almost two-thirds of LRG landlords (65%) said they had never used Section 21, while 24% had used it once and 6% more than once. LandlordZone respondents, most of whom manage their own properties, had greater direct experience of the process: 59% had used Section 21 at least once, and 39% had never used it. 

Where it had been used, the most common reasons were rent arrears or repeated late payment, followed by antisocial behaviour or another tenancy issue. The findings suggest many landlords saw Section 21 as a safeguard for dealing with a problem, rather than a routine way to end a successful tenancy. 

The English Private Landlord Survey 2024 presents a similar picture. Only 8% of landlords said they had asked a tenant to leave when their most recent tenancy ended and 6% had evicted one. Among landlords who ended a tenancy, the main reasons were poor property maintenance (43%), rent arrears (42%), antisocial behaviour (27%), and a decision to sell (26%). However, Section 21 was used in 70% of cases where a landlord evicted a tenant, showing how important this route had become when possession was necessary. 

Landlords are now dependent on the grounds-based possession process when a tenancy needs to end. The latest pre-reform Ministry of Justice possession statistics show that the median time from a landlord making a court claim to repossession was 26.4 weeks in the first quarter of 2026. That helps explain why confidence in the operation of the new system matters to responsible landlords as well as tenants.

Despite the different views on the legislation, landlords and tenants identify the same foundations for security. A good relationship with the landlord was the leading answer among LRG landlords at 44%, LandlordZone landlords at 65% and tenants at 27%. Good communication and management by the letting agent followed closely, at 25% for tenants and 27% for LRG landlords.

Legal protections were selected by 20% of tenants, compared with 7% of LRG landlords and 3% of LandlordZone landlords. The results indicate that legislation provides an important framework, but tenants experience security through day-to-day tenancy management. 

The latest English Housing Survey provides further context. Before the reform, 79% of private renters felt safe from eviction, and 68% believed their tenancy was stable enough to plan long term. At the same time, 14% of recently ended tenancies had ended because the tenant was asked to leave. Among renters asked to leave during the previous three years, 45% had received a Section 21 notice. 

Allison Thompson, Chief Lettings Officer at Leaders, part of LRG, commented, "The difference in opinion is understandable because landlords and tenants came to this reform from different experiences. Many tenants wanted greater reassurance that they could build their lives in a rented home without being asked to leave unexpectedly. At the same time, most LRG landlords had never used Section 21 and saw a well-run tenancy with a reliable tenant as something to protect, not end."

"Five months after the change, it is significant that fewer than four in ten tenants feel more secure. Legislation establishes important protections, but security is also created through fair treatment, a well-maintained home, clear expectations and confidence that someone will respond when help is needed."

"Professional agents have a vital role in bringing those elements together. We help landlords understand and use the new possession grounds correctly, while giving tenants clear information and a reliable point of contact. That combination of legal certainty and good day-to-day management is what gives both sides confidence in the tenancy." 

You can download the full report here.