What happens when Section 21 is abolished? #26

In this week's episode, Suzanne Smith and Richard Jackson discuss the practicalities of what will happen when the Renters' Rights Bill will abolish Section 21 "no fault" evictions for landlords in England. They cover: what is Section 21, how Section 8 will replace Section 21, the key new and changed grounds for possession, when it's going to come into effect, and what landlords will need to do to adapt to the new regime. They also share their reflections on this new Bill. As always, it's a very practical episode. PS As a general caveat, it's still very early days with the Renters' Rights Bill. The Bill is really difficult to understand, and we may well change our views on how to interpret it. It may also change as it goes through parliament. Before taking significant action, do get advice from a specialist solicitor. You can contact us by sending us a message on our contact page if you would like a referral. >> Ask a question: Click here for question form What we cover in this episodeWhat is Section 21?What will replace Section 21?What is Section 8?When is Section 21 going to be abolished?Tips for adapting to the new regime Special offer from Symple for Good Landlording listeners #ad Before we get into the ins and outs of the abolition of Section 21, we wanted to share a promotion for listeners of Good Landlording that helps you, and helps support the podcast. We all know it can be a hassle for landlords to keep on top of gas safety certificates, EICRs and EPCs, especially for those of us who have a portfolio in different parts of the country. Although software like Alphaletz can help remind landlords when they are all due, landlords can also use Symple to make sure they are actually done on time. If you haven’t heard of Symple, it’s a free platform that’s designed to help landlords streamline their compliance management. You can set it up to order  gas safety inspections, Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs), and Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) with just one click. Symple provides landlords with automated renewal reminders to ensure they never miss a deadline and provides real-time updates on certificate statuses once they are ordered. Symple cover the whole of the UK with pre-approved local service providers. There’s no searching or chasing - Symple handles everything for you. Symple even guarantees to do it by the due date if you book it at least 4 weeks in advance. The charges for the certificates are reasonable, and all of the suppliers are vetted. And best of all, Symple are offering listeners of Good Landlording a 5% discount on all of their products with the code GL05. This is a paid promotion, but one that benefits our listeners as we have negotiated a 5% discount for our listeners on all certificates ordered from Symple using the code GL05. Click here for Symple What is Section 21? Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 gives landlords the right to evict tenants without needing to give a reason.  So long as that landlord serves a valid notice using Form 6A, which is on the government website, they give  two months notice  plus a few days for service (and assuming the landlord has, of course, served all the relevant documents when they needed to), then the landlord will get the property back. The landlord doesn't need to give a reason. It doesn't mean there is no reason,