Section 21 Has Ended: Which Landlord Records Still Matter?

Section 21 was abolished for private rented sector assured tenancies in England on 1 May 2026. Landlords can no longer start a new no-fault possession claim using section 21. They must rely on an applicable section 8 ground and be ready to evidence that ground.

That does not remove the underlying safety and document duties. Gas safety records, EICRs, EPCs, licensing records and evidence that documents were supplied can still matter for enforcement, tenancy management and court evidence.

For gas safety, keep the current record and evidence that it was supplied within the applicable timetable. For electrical safety, keep the EICR, any remedial evidence and the record of supply to the tenant.

For EPCs, retain the official certificate and the record showing when it was made available. For licensable properties, retain the licence or application evidence and watch the council scheme dates.

Possession law is now ground-specific. CertWatch can organise dates and evidence, but it cannot decide whether a possession ground applies. Take legal advice before serving notice.

The practical approach is simple: keep each source document, track renewal dates, record when it was supplied and keep possession evidence separate from generic compliance reminders.