Farnham lawyers are urging landlords in Surrey to review eviction procedures after more than 28,000 possession claims were made last year using a route that has now been scrapped.

Specialists at Farnham law firm Clifton Ingram said accelerated possession had been widely used because it was usually quicker than standard court action and often did not require a hearing.

Section 21, sometimes called the “no-fault eviction” route, previously allowed landlords to seek possession without proving a specific reason.

Landlords must now rely on revised Section 8 grounds, including serious rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, an intention to sell the property or wanting to move in themselves or a close family member.

The new rules came into force on May 1, 2026.

David Goddard, joint head of dispute resolution and litigation at Clifton Ingram, said: “Landlords must now understand what has replaced it.

“Possession grounds under the new regime are either mandatory, where the court must grant possession if the ground is established, or discretionary, where the court decides whether it is reasonable to do so.

“This distinction affects how predictable the outcome will be.”

He said landlords must serve the correct notice, cite the right ground and follow the required notice period.

Mr Goddard warned errors could invalidate a notice and force landlords to begin the process again.

He added that tenants would also see major changes.

He said: “A landlord cannot serve notice simply to replace a tenant or reset rent at a higher level. There must be a lawful ground.”

The Act also replaces assured shorthold tenancies with periodic tenancies, meaning agreements roll on unless ended lawfully.

Other reforms include limits on rent increases, a ban on rental bidding, a cap on advance rent of one month and stronger rights for tenants to request pets.

Clifton Ingram said landlords should urgently review tenancy agreements, possession procedures and property management systems to ensure they comply with the new law.