Possession grounds: which one fits, and what notice you must give

Since 1 May 2026 there is no section 21. To regain possession you use a section 8 notice (Form 3A) and a ground. Each ground has its own notice period.

Mandatory grounds

The court must order possession if you prove the ground.

Ground	Summary	Type	Notice period	Earliest use and conditions	What you need to show
1	Landlord or close family member moving in	Mandatory	4 months	Not in the first 12 months. 12-month no-relet restricted period after use.	That you or a close family member are moving in. Source GUIDE Source ENF
1A	Landlord selling	Mandatory	4 months	Not in the first 12 months. 12-month no-relet and no-remarketing restricted period.	That you are selling the property. Source GUIDE Source ENF
1B	Sale under rent-to-buy (Social providers only)	Mandatory	4 months	Social providers only.	A sale under a rent-to-buy scheme. Source
2	Sale by mortgage lender	Mandatory	4 months	None beyond the ground itself	That the mortgage lender is selling. Source
2ZA, 2ZB, 2ZC, 2ZD	Superior lease ending, or superior landlord possession (Restricted landlord types)	Mandatory	4 months	Restricted landlord types. 2ZB and 2ZD need a superior lease of 21 years or more.	That the superior lease has ended or the superior landlord is taking possession. Source
4	Student accommodation let by specified educational establishments (Specified educational establishments)	Mandatory	2 weeks	Specified educational establishments only.	Student accommodation let by a specified educational establishment. Source
4A	HMO let to full-time students, needed for new students in line with the academic year	Mandatory	4 months	Not available if the tenancy was agreed more than 6 months before it started.	An HMO let to full-time students that is needed for new students in line with the academic year. Source
5	Minister of religion	Mandatory	2 months	None beyond the ground itself	A let to a minister of religion. Source
5A	Agricultural worker	Mandatory	2 months	None beyond the ground itself	A let to an agricultural worker. Source
5B, 5D	Social provider employment-linked lets (Social providers only)	Mandatory	2 months	Social providers only.	An employment-linked let by a social provider. Source
5C	Employment by the landlord has ended (expanded old ground 16)	Mandatory	2 months	None beyond the ground itself	That the tenant's employment by you has ended. Source
5E, 5F	Supported accommodation (Supported accommodation)	Mandatory	4 weeks	Supported accommodation only.	Supported accommodation. Source
5G	Homelessness temporary accommodation no longer required (within 12 months of council notice) (Homelessness temporary accommodation)	Mandatory	4 weeks	Within 12 months of the council notice.	That temporary accommodation for homelessness is no longer required. Source
5H	Stepping-stone accommodation (Stepping-stone accommodation)	Mandatory	2 months	None beyond the ground itself	Stepping-stone accommodation. Source
6	Redevelopment (various limits)	Mandatory	4 months	Various limits apply. Check the guide.	That you intend to redevelop. Check the limits in the guide. Source
6A	Decant accommodation (social) (Social landlords)	Mandatory	4 months	Social landlords only.	Decant accommodation. Source
6B	Compliance with enforcement action (the court may order compensation to the tenant)	Mandatory	4 months	The court may order compensation to the tenant.	That you must act to comply with enforcement action. Source
7	Death of tenant (inherited tenancy, proceedings within 12 months)	Mandatory	2 months	Proceedings must start within 12 months.	The death of the tenant and an inherited tenancy. Source
7A	Severe anti-social or criminal behaviour (conviction, breach of an ASB order, closure order over 48 hours)	Mandatory	Immediate	Proceedings can begin at once. Deposit rules do not apply.	A conviction, a breach of an anti-social behaviour order, or a closure order of over 48 hours. Source GUIDE Source REPO
7B	No right to rent (Home Office notice)	Mandatory	2 weeks	None beyond the ground itself	A Home Office notice that the tenant has no right to rent. Source
8	Rent arrears of at least 3 months (13 weeks if the rent is weekly or fortnightly), both when notice is served and at the hearing	Mandatory	4 weeks	Arrears must be at least 3 months (13 weeks if weekly or fortnightly) when you serve notice and at the hearing.	A rent statement showing arrears of at least 3 months (13 weeks if weekly or fortnightly) on the day you serve notice, and again at the hearing. Source

Discretionary grounds

The court decides whether possession is reasonable.

Ground	Summary	Type	Notice period	Earliest use and conditions	What you need to show
9	Suitable alternative accommodation available	Discretionary	2 months	None beyond the ground itself	That suitable alternative accommodation is available. Source
10	Any rent arrears	Discretionary	4 weeks	None beyond the ground itself	A rent statement showing the arrears. Source
11	Persistent delay in paying rent	Discretionary	4 weeks	None beyond the ground itself	Records of repeated late payments. Source
12	Breach of a tenancy term (other than rent)	Discretionary	2 weeks	None beyond the ground itself	The term, and how it has been broken. Source
13	Deterioration of the property	Discretionary	2 weeks	None beyond the ground itself	The state of the property and how it has got worse. Source
14	Anti-social behaviour, nuisance, illegal or immoral use, indictable offence in the locality	Discretionary	Immediate	Proceedings can begin at once. Deposit rules do not apply.	The behaviour, nuisance, use or offence, with dates and reports. Source GUIDE Source REPO
14A	Domestic abuse (social landlords) (Social landlords)	Discretionary	2 weeks	Social landlords only.	Domestic abuse (social landlords). Source
14ZA	Rioting conviction	Discretionary	2 weeks	None beyond the ground itself	A rioting conviction. Source
15	Deterioration of furniture	Discretionary	2 weeks	None beyond the ground itself	The state of the furniture and how it has got worse. Source
17	Tenancy obtained by a false statement	Discretionary	2 weeks	None beyond the ground itself	The false statement and that the tenancy was obtained because of it. Source
18	Supported accommodation, tenant refusing to engage (Supported accommodation)	Discretionary	4 weeks	Supported accommodation only.	That the tenant is refusing to engage. Source

Rules that apply across grounds

Use Form 3A "or a form substantially to the like effect". The notice must give the right notice period and set out the full ground wording and reasons. Incomplete notices get claims dismissed or delayed. Source
For most grounds (not 7A or 14) the deposit must have been protected, the scheme rules complied with and the prescribed information given. Or the deposit must have been returned, or a deposit dispute decided. Source
Some grounds need "prior notice" given at the start of the tenancy. Check the repossession guidance for which ones. Source
Grounds 1 and 1A cannot take effect in the first 12 months of the tenancy. You may serve notice earlier with a later date. Source
After the notice period, if the tenant has not left, you apply to court. There is an online service for rent arrears. Orders on mandatory grounds usually require the tenant to leave within 14 days, or up to 6 weeks for extreme hardship. Source
After using Ground 1 or 1A there is a 12-month restricted period: you may not relet or remarket the property. Doing so is an offence (civil penalty up to £40,000 or prosecution). Exceptions: you or family move in, a 21+ year lease or sale licence, or a court orders possession on another ground. Source

The no-relet rule. After you use Ground 1 (moving in) or 1A (selling) you may not relet or remarket the property for 12 months. Breaking this is an offence, with a civil penalty of up to £40,000 or prosecution. Source

The notice form

Use Form 3A (section 8 possession notice) on gov.uk Source. LetReady does not reproduce the form. The paid pack gives you a completion sheet with the notice period, earliest date and an evidence checklist for each ground you pick.

Notice periods here come from the gov.uk guide. How to serve a notice and how days are counted are not covered here: check the repossession guidance.

Get the possession helper

Pick your ground, get the earliest service date and a printable completion sheet for each property. Part of the Compliance Pack, £29 once.

See the pack