A landlord knocked on my office door last month, looking completely broken.

His name was James. He had been renting out his late mother's flat in East London for three years. The tenant was good at first, paid on time and kept the place clean.

Then everything changed.

The tenant stopped paying rent. Three months passed with no communication, no explanation, just silence and an empty bank account where the rent used to appear.

James asked me one simple question:

“How do I get my property back?”

I told him about Section 21, the no-fault eviction notice. It is a legal way to ask a tenant to leave without having to prove they have done anything wrong.

His eyes lit up. Finally, a solution.

But then I had to explain the reality.

You cannot simply write a letter and expect them to leave. There are rules, strict ones. Miss a single step and the whole process falls apart.

First, you need Form 6A, not a random letter, but the official form.

Second, you must give two months’ notice, not a day less.

Third, the deposit must be protected in a government scheme. James went pale. He had forgotten to do this three years ago. His Section 21 would be invalid before he even started.

Fourth, you must have given the tenant the Energy Performance Certificate, Gas Safety Certificate, and the How to Rent guide. James had done the gas safety, but the other two? He could not remember.

We spent the next week sorting his paperwork, protecting the deposit, gathering documents, and starting afresh.

He finally served a valid Section 21 notice last week.

But here is what I told him that really shook him:

This option is disappearing.

From 1 May 2026, Section 21 will be gone forever. The Renters’ Rights Act is abolishing no-fault evictions completely. After that date, landlords will need a specific legal reason to evict anyone, rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, selling the property. You will need proof. You will need court hearings. Everything becomes harder.

James looked at me and said something I will not forget:

“I wish someone had told me all this before I became a landlord.”

That is why I am sharing this with you today.

If you are a landlord and need your property back, the clock is ticking. You have until 30 April 2026 to serve a Section 21 notice. After that, this door closes permanently.

Do not wait until you are in James’s situation. Understand the rules now. Get your paperwork in order. Protect yourself before it is too late.

The world of renting is changing fast. The landlords who prepare today will survive tomorrow.

Have you ever had to serve an eviction notice? I would love to hear your story.