Section 21 Notice Response Letter
Got a Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026? It can still be used against you, but only if your landlord goes to court by 31 July 2026. After that, the notice dies. Respond formally by Royal Mail to check the notice's validity.
Send an eviction response letter from £2.79What You Need to Know
- ✓Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026. Any new Section 21 notice dated on or after that date is invalid.
- ✓Old notices die after the earlier of 6 months from when they were served, or 31 July 2026. The clock is running.
- ✓A missing Gas Safety Certificate, EPC, How to Rent guide, or unprotected deposit can kill the notice on its own.
- ✓Responding by Royal Mail puts your position on the record before any court hearing.
About the Notice
A Section 21 notice was the 'no-fault' way for a landlord in England to end an assured shorthold tenancy. From 1 May 2026, it is gone. The Renters Rights Act 2025 abolished Section 21 (section 1 of the Act). Any new Section 21 notice dated 1 May 2026 or later is invalid.
If your notice is dated 30 April 2026 or earlier, it is still alive but on a strict clock. Your landlord must take you to court by the earlier of six months from the date of service or 31 July 2026. Miss that deadline and the notice dies. Your tenancy then continues as a periodic tenancy.
A Section 21 notice is also invalid (regardless of date) if your landlord skipped any of these: protect your deposit on time, supply a valid EPC, provide a Gas Safety Certificate, give you the current 'How to Rent' guide, use Form 6A, give you at least two months' notice, or wait until after the first four months of your tenancy. Miss one, the notice is dead.
Legal basis
- ·Renters Rights Act 2025, s.1 (abolition of Section 21)
- ·Renters Rights Act 2025, Schedule 6 (transitional provisions)
- ·Housing Act 1988, s.21 (as repealed from 1 May 2026)
- ·Deregulation Act 2015, ss.33 to 41 (prerequisites for valid Section 21 notice)
- ·Housing Act 2004, ss.213 to 215 (deposit protection)
- ·Assured Shorthold Tenancy Notices and Prescribed Requirements (England) Regulations 2015 (Form 6A)
Which scenario applies to you?
Notice dated on or after 1 May 2026
Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026. A notice dated on or after that date is automatically invalid. Your response letter cites the abolition and asks the landlord to withdraw the notice in writing.
Notice dated 30 April 2026 or earlier (transitional)
Old notices still work, but only if your landlord goes to court by 31 July 2026 (or 6 months from service, whichever is sooner). The letter sets out the deadline and asks the landlord to confirm whether they're proceeding or backing down.
Procedurally defective notice
Most Section 21 notices have at least one defect. Missing Gas Safety Certificate, unprotected deposit, wrong form, or notice served in the first four months of tenancy all invalidate it on their own. The letter lists each requirement and asks the landlord to prove compliance.
What the Letter Accomplishes
PostRight generates a formal response letter that checks the validity of the notice in writing, cites the relevant legislation, and creates a dated physical record sent by Royal Mail Tracked 24.
- 1Sets out the date your notice was served and which transitional rule applies
- 2Lists the seven validity prerequisites and asks the landlord to evidence each one
- 3States the 31 July 2026 deadline and asks the landlord to confirm whether they're proceeding to court or withdrawing
- 4Reserves your rights on deposit protection penalty and retaliatory eviction protections
Your Rights
Section 21 is dead from 1 May 2026
The Renters Rights Act 2025 abolished Section 21 on 1 May 2026. Your landlord cannot serve a new Section 21 notice. Anything that looks like a Section 21 notice dated on or after that day is not worth the paper it's printed on.
The 31 July 2026 deadline
Old notices have a hard deadline. Your landlord must take you to court by 31 July 2026, or 6 months from the date of service, whichever is sooner. After that, the notice dies and your tenancy continues as a periodic tenancy. Your landlord would then have to use Section 8 with a specific ground.
The seven things your landlord must have done
Even an old notice is invalid if your landlord missed any of these: valid EPC supplied before notice, Gas Safety Certificate provided, current 'How to Rent' guide given, deposit protected in a government-backed scheme within 30 days with the prescribed information served, notice on Form 6A, at least two months' notice, and not served in the first four months of your tenancy. Miss one, the notice fails.
Deposit protection penalty
If your deposit wasn't protected in a government-backed scheme within 30 days of payment (or the prescribed information wasn't given to you), the Section 21 notice is invalid AND you can claim a penalty of 1-3 times the deposit value under section 214 of the Housing Act 2004.
Retaliatory eviction protection
If your landlord served the notice after you complained about disrepair to them or to the council, the notice may be invalid on that ground alone (sections 33 to 35 Deregulation Act 2015). You may also have a claim under the newer Renters Rights Act 2025 framework -- see our retaliatory eviction page.
Common Scenarios
1Notice dated before 1 May 2026, no court proceedings yet
Your landlord served a Section 21 notice before the cutoff but hasn't gone to court. The clock is running and the long-stop is 31 July 2026.
2Notice dated on or after 1 May 2026
Section 21 was abolished on this date. The notice is automatically invalid. The response letter demands withdrawal.
3Deposit wasn't protected within 30 days
Your deposit wasn't protected in a government-backed scheme within 30 days of payment, or the prescribed information wasn't given. The notice is invalid AND a separate penalty claim is available.
4Missing Gas Safety Certificate, EPC, or 'How to Rent' guide
Your landlord never gave you one or more of these before serving the notice. Any one missing makes the notice invalid regardless of when it was served.
5Notice has errors on Form 6A or was served too early in the tenancy
Common errors: wrong dates, wrong names, boxes left blank, or notice served in the first four months of your tenancy. Each one is enough to kill the notice.
Send your eviction response letter via Royal Mail
PostRight generates a legally-accurate response letter tailored to your situation. Answer a few guided questions, review your letter, and PostRight prints and posts it via Royal Mail Tracked 24 within one business day. A posted letter creates a dated physical record that is far harder to ignore than an email or an online form.
- ✓Cites the correct legislation for your situation
- ✓Sets a clear deadline for the landlord to respond
- ✓States the escalation path if ignored
- ✓Printed on quality paper and posted by Royal Mail Tracked 24
- ✓From £2.79 -- no subscription required
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my Section 21 notice still valid?
Depends on the date. Dated 1 May 2026 or later: automatically invalid, Section 21 was abolished. Dated 30 April 2026 or earlier: still alive but only if your landlord goes to court by 31 July 2026 (or 6 months from service, whichever is sooner) AND the notice met all seven validity prerequisites. Miss either condition and the notice fails.
What is the 31 July 2026 deadline?
It's the hard cutoff for old Section 21 notices. Your landlord must take you to court by this date, or 6 months from when the notice was served, whichever is sooner. After that the notice dies and your tenancy carries on as a periodic tenancy.
What if my landlord didn't give me a Gas Safety Certificate, EPC, or 'How to Rent' guide?
The notice is invalid. Under the Deregulation Act 2015, Section 21 notices fail unless your landlord gave you all three before serving the notice. Missing any one is enough on its own.
Will responding to the notice make my landlord retaliate?
You're already protected from retaliation by sections 33 to 35 of the Deregulation Act 2015 and (since 1 May 2026) new offences under the Renters Rights Act 2025. Responding to a notice you've already received isn't a fresh complaint and isn't a ground for retaliation. If your landlord doubles down, that's evidence in your favour.
Does this apply if I live in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland?
No. The Renters Rights Act 2025 covers England only. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have separate housing law. Contact Shelter Scotland, Shelter Cymru, or Housing Rights NI respectively.
Free Advice Resources
If you need free, independent advice about your eviction notice, the following organisations can help. They can explain your options, check the notice for defects, and support you through any court proceedings.
Shelter England
Free housing advice and legal support for tenants facing eviction. Helpline: 0808 800 4444.
Visit website →Citizens Advice
Free, independent advice on housing, benefits, and tenant rights.
Visit website →Renters Reform Coalition
Campaign group providing guidance on the Renters Rights Act 2025 and tenant protections.
Visit website →GOV.UK: Renters Rights Act
Official government guidance on the Renters Rights Act 2025 and what it means for tenants.
Visit website →Related Eviction Letters
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Send an eviction response letter from £2.79From £2.79 · Printed & posted by Royal Mail Tracked 24 · Dispatched within one business day