Section 21 eviction
The law has changed
Private tenants can only be evicted with a section 21 notice if both these things apply:
you got a valid notice before 1 May 2026
your landlord applied for an eviction order before 1 August 2026
How long does an eviction take?
Section 21 eviction often takes around 8 months from when you get the notice.
It depends on:
how quickly your landlord acts
how busy the courts and bailiffs are
The 3 steps your landlord must take
Your landlord must:
give you a valid section 21 eviction notice
apply for an eviction order from a court if you stay after your notice ends
ask court bailiffs to evict you
Each step takes time.
You do not have to leave until your landlord has taken all 3 steps. You can move out earlier if you find somewhere else to live.
The court makes sure your landlord has taken the right steps to evict you.
Tell your landlord if you plan to stay after your notice ends.
Step 1: Your landlord gives you a notice
You should get at least 2 months' notice.
You do not have to leave when the notice period ends.
A court should not evict you if your notice is not valid.
Your landlord cannot give you a section 21 notice from 1 May 2026.
Step 2: Your landlord applies for a court order
Your landlord had to apply to court by the date that came first:
6 months after they gave you the section 21 notice
31 July 2026
The court cannot give the landlord an order to evict you if they missed this deadline.
If they still want to evict you, your landlord has to give you a section 8 notice.
Get free legal advice if you get a letter from the court.
Table: Latest date your landlord could apply for an eviction order
| Date you were given the section 21 | When court action must have started by |
|---|---|
| Between 1 February and 30 April 2026 | By 31 July 2026 |
| Before 1 February 2026 | Within 6 months of giving you notice |
If your landlord applied to court too late, the court cannot evict you.
If your landlord applied for an eviction order in time
It might takes around 6 to 9 weeks for your landlord to get an eviction order from a court.
It depends:
how busy the court is
if you get a court hearing
There might not be a hearing if your landlord uses the accelerated process.
If your section 21 notice is not valid
It is very important to tell the court why the notice is not valid.
A judge might not notice a mistake by the landlord.
Return your defence form to the court within 2 weeks.
If the court orders your eviction
An eviction order gives a date for you to leave.
It is usually 2 to 6 weeks after the court makes the order.
You do not have to leave if you have nowhere to go.
Step 3: Eviction by bailiffs
Your landlord can ask court bailiffs to evict you when the date on the eviction order passes.
It may be a few weeks before the bailiffs write to you with an eviction date.
Bailiffs must give you at least 2 weeks' notice of when they will evict you.
Find out what happens on the eviction date.
Example: How long from notice to bailiffs?
Anna's landlord gives her a section 21 notice in February 2026.
The notice ends in April and Anna stays on. She's not doing anything wrong.
The landlord asks the court for an eviction order.
The order says Anna should leave by 15 July.
Anna cannot find anywhere to live. So she has to stay in her home.
The landlord asks bailiffs to evict Anna. The bailiffs say they will come on 10 October.
Anna finds a new tenancy just in time.
She has stronger rights in her new home because of the Renters' Rights Act.
Who pays the costs of eviction?
If the court makes an eviction order, you usually have to pay your landlord's court fees.
You might have to pay some or all of their legal costs.
This could be several hundred pounds. But you can pay it in instalments if you cannot pay this all at once.
You should not have to pay court costs if your section 21 notice is not valid.
Speak to an adviser or the council if you're worried about being evicted.
Last updated: 3 August 2026
