The Last Eviction Window: What Criterion Capital's Section 21 Notices Tell Us About How the Rental System Works
When a law is about to change, the system responds before it does. That is what is happening right now in south-west London, and it tells us something important about how the rental system actually operates — not in theory, but in practice.
More than 130 tenants renting privately from Criterion Capital, one of London's largest landlords with over £9 billion deployed across 58 properties, have been served Section 21 notices in recent weeks. Section 21 is the legal mechanism that allows a landlord to evict a tenant without giving any reason. From 1 May 2026, it will no longer exist. The Renters Rights Bill abolishes it entirely, meaning landlords will need a legitimate legal ground — unpaid rent, property damage, or personal occupation — to remove a tenant.
Criterion Capital denies that the timing is connected to the legislative change, describing the notices as part of "standard asset management processes." The government has described the practice as "legal but highly immoral" and the prime minister has asked the Housing Secretary to investigate.
The system responding to a deadline
