Landlords in England must apply to court for a possession order by 31 July 2026. This is the final deadline to use old Section 21 or pre-May Section 8 notices (served before the Renters’ Rights Act took effect on 01 May 2026).
- Timing Details: Court action must start and be officially accepted (issued) by the court by 31 July 2026, or before the standard six-month notice expiry—whichever arrives first.
- Required Action: The court must fully receive your claim and fee before the deadline. Preparing paperwork or hiring a solicitor is not enough.
- Missed Deadlines: Missing this date invalidates your old notice completely. You must restart the eviction process from scratch under the new Section 8 regulations.
The SWLA office are available to support members with all possession related queries.