Section 21 Court Deadline: What Landlords Must Do Before 31 July 2026

Section 21 is abolished from 1 May 2026. But what happens to notices already served before that date? Schedule 6 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 provides a hard transitional deadline: you must file court proceedings by 31 July 2026, or the notice dies permanently.

What Schedule 6 of the RRA 2025 says

Schedule 6 provides transitional and saving provisions for notices served under the old regime. The key rule is that a Section 21 notice served before commencement day (1 May 2026) retains its validity only if the landlord issues court proceedings within the transitional window.

The transitional window runs from the date the notice expires (the earliest date for possession stated on the notice) until 31 July 2026 — whichever is later. In practice, for any notice served in 2025 or early 2026, the two-month notice period will have expired well before July, so 31 July 2026 is the effective deadline.

If your notice was served so late that the two-month expiry falls after 31 July 2026, you are out of time — you cannot have served a valid Section 21 after commencement day (1 May 2026), and a notice served before commencement whose expiry falls after 31 July cannot be acted upon.

What 'filing court proceedings' means

1. Complete Form N5 — Claim for possession of property (accelerated procedure). This is the standard accelerated possession claim for Section 21 cases. The form asks for the tenancy details, the notice details, and confirmation that all prescribed requirements were met.
2. Pay the court fee — currently £391 for an accelerated possession claim. Payment can be made online when filing electronically, or by cheque when filing by post.
3. File at the County Court — you can file online via the Possession Claims Online portal (PCOL) or by posting the completed N5 to the County Court hearing centre for the area where the property is located.
4. The claim must be received by the court by 31 July 2026 — not posted by that date. If you are posting, allow at least five working days. Filing online is instant.

What happens if you miss the deadline

• The Section 21 notice becomes permanently unenforceable. No extension, no appeal, no second chance.
• You cannot serve a new Section 21 — the power is abolished from 1 May 2026.
• Your only route to possession is Section 8 — you must identify a valid ground (e.g. Ground 1 landlord occupation, Ground 1A sale, Ground 8 rent arrears) and serve the new Form 3A notice.
• If you had already started but not completed proceedings, the court will strike out the claim if it was not validly issued before the deadline.

Step-by-step: what to do right now

1. Check your notice. Pull out the Section 21 you served. Confirm the date of service, the expiry date, and that all prescribed requirements were met (How to Rent guide served, deposit protected, gas safety certificate current, EPC provided, correct prescribed information given).
2. Check for defects. Any defect in the original notice — wrong address, missing prescribed information, deposit not protected — cannot be cured by re-serving after 1 May 2026. If the notice is defective, it is dead. Move to Section 8.
3. Decide whether to proceed. Consider cost (£391 fee plus potential solicitor costs), the tenant's circumstances, and whether a Section 8 ground might be simpler.
4. File Form N5. Complete the form, pay the fee, and file online or by post. Do this well before 31 July — do not leave it to the last week.
5. Serve the claim on the tenant. The court will serve a copy on the tenant, but you should also send a copy directly for good practice.
6. Prepare for the hearing. Even accelerated claims can be listed for a hearing if the tenant files a defence. Have your evidence bundle ready: the original notice, proof of service, deposit protection certificates, gas safety record, EPC, prescribed information, and How to Rent guide confirmation.

What if I don't have a Section 21 ground but need possession?

From 1 May 2026, your route is Section 8. The new grounds include Ground 1A (landlord intends to sell) and Ground 6A (redevelopment), which cover many scenarios that landlords previously used Section 21 for. Our Section 8 Notice Pack (£19) contains Form 3A pre-populated for every ground with step-by-step guidance.

Key dates at a glance

If you have a valid Section 21 and intend to rely on it, act now. Our Possession Recovery Bundle (£79) includes the Section 8 Pack, Pre-Action Letters, ASB Log, and Breach Notice — everything you need if you miss the Section 21 window and must switch to Section 8.