On the eve of section 21 being abolished, I was served an eviction notice. I was far from alone | George Francis Lee

The Renters’ Right Act has finally given tenants in England more security over their housing, but landlords still hold the upper hand when setting rents You never welcome an email from your landlord, or in my case, my landlord’s agent. I happened to be in an airport waiting for a flight when something landed in my inbox that made my stomach drop. Two words popped out in the subject line: “Section 21”. Miles from home, staring at my phone, I felt useless and despondent at being served a no-fault eviction notice days before the new Renters’ Right Act made them illegal at the start of May. Once a feature of England’s rental market, section 21s had allowed landlords to force tenants out of their homes with only a minimum of two months’ notice.

Presumably not wanting the hassle of having to use a section 8 notice – citing one or more legal grounds to end a tenancy – my landlord evicted me at the 11th hour. George Francis Lee is a recipient of the 2025/26 Scott Trust Bursary Continue reading... George Francis Lee The Renters’ Right Act has finally given tenants in England more security over their housing, but landlords still hold the upper hand when setting rents Y ou never welcome an email from your landlord, or in my case, my landlord’s agent. Two words popped out in the subject line: “Section 21”. Miles from home, staring at my phone, I felt useless and despondent at being served a no-fault eviction notice days before the new Renters’ Right Act made them illegal at the start of May.

Once a feature of England’s rental market, section 21s had allowed landlords to force tenants out of their homes with only a minimum of two months’ notice. Presumably not wanting the hassle of having to use a section 8 notice – citing one or more legal grounds to end a tenancy – my landlord evicted me at the 11th hour. People don’t come to expect charity from their landlords, but the fact that so many have slipped in section 21s at the last possible moment only emphasises the imbalance of power between landlords and tenants. For everyone involved – landlords, renters, solicitors – the sheer number of section 21s being served did not come as a shock. In 2024-25 alone, England lost 21,436 social homes, mostly through right-to-buy sales and demolitions.

We’re undergoing a net loss in social housing; according to Shelter, England has 1.4 million fewer households in social housing than it did in 1980. The Renters’ Right Act is a victory for the 11 million private renters across the country, but don’t forget who still holds the power. Explore more on these topics Share Reuse this content The Renters’ Right Act has finally given tenants in England more security over their housing, but landlords still hold the upper hand when setting rents You never welcome an email from your landlord, or in my case, my landlord’s agent. Two words popped out in the subject line: “Section 21”. Miles from home, staring at my phone, I felt useless and despondent at being served a no-fault eviction notice days before the new Renters’ Right Act made them illegal at the start of May.

Once a feature of England’s rental market, section 21s had allowed landlords to force tenants out of their homes with only a minimum of two months’ notice. Presumably not wanting the hassle of having to use a section 8 notice – citing one or more legal grounds to end a tenancy – my landlord evicted me at the 11th hour. George Francis Lee is a recipient of the 2025/26 Scott Trust Bursary Continue reading... On the eve of section 21 being abolished, I was served an eviction notice. I was far from alone | George Francis Lee