The Renters’ Rights Act marks a fundamental shift in the private rented sector. The reality for landlords is that gaining possession may become slower, more complex, and significantly more exposed to financial risk.
The section 21 notice is being repealed, so the only way to remove a tenant will be by issuing a section 8 notice, stating a specific, legally valid ground – e.g. rent arrears, anti-social behaviour or selling the property etc.
Section 8 grounds have been reformed and notice periods for many of the most common grounds have been increased (the notice period for rent arrears will increase from 2 weeks to 4 weeks, and the tenant must be 3 months in arrears, up from the current 2 months).
It will almost certainly take longer to remove a tenant, and therefore will be more costly for landlords. Plus, with every contested eviction in future requiring a court hearing, there may be further delays to the process too.
In this new environment, landlord rent cover being an optional add-on is no longer viable – we will be recommending that all landlords consider having rent cover.
Premier Service – Built-in rent and legal cover
Our Premier Service results in us managing and paying the related legal costs incurred on behalf of you, the landlord, in prosecuting or defending the proceedings where the tenant has:
• Issued proceedings against the landlord for a property or tenancy related matter
• Materially breached the terms of the tenancy agreement in a manner that is capable of legal address
• Left the property in disrepair
• Failed to vacate the property in accordance with the tenancy agreement
• Failed to pay the rent due under the tenancy agreement
Premier Service case study – Value delivered: £28,745
From January – August 2025 we dealt with a highly contested Section 8 case, involving disputed arrears, vulnerability claims and multiple attempts to suspend eviction.
How Premier Service supported the landlord:
• We managed all tenant communication centrally
• Five hearings were coordinated through the service
• Evidence, counsel and enforcement were managed end-to-end
• Legal and enforcement costs were absorbed by us
• Rental income support was provided by us throughout the possession process in line with the service terms
Without the Premier Service, the landlord would have faced extended proceedings, repeated hearings, escalating legal costs and prolonged income loss.
The Renters’ Rights Bill has not removed a landlord’s right to possession, but it has reshaped the journey required to achieve it. Longer timelines, increased scrutiny and systemic delay mean that possession is now a drawn-out, high-risk process where the risk of income loss is higher than ever.
If you’re interested in rent and legal cover through our Premier Service and want a no-obligation discussion, please get in touch with your local branch.
Premier Service terms & conditions apply.
The case studies are taken from real Premier Service cases and based on practical experiences of possession proceedings.
