Grounds 1 and 1A: the 12-month protected period and the re-letting ban

Moving back in or selling? GOV.UK sets a 12-month protected period at the start of a tenancy, four months' notice, and a 12-month bar on marketing or re-letting afterwards. Here is the detail.

<pUnder the Renters' Rights Act 2025, Section 21 is abolished and possession must be sought on a ground. Two of the most-used landlord grounds are Ground 1 (moving in) and Ground 1A (selling). This post reports what GOV.UK says about how they work.</p

<h2The 12-month protected period</h2 <pGOV.UK states that tenants benefit from a <strong12-month protected period at the beginning of a tenancy, during which landlords cannot evict them to move in or sell the property</strong. Grounds 1 and 1A cannot be used in those first 12 months.</p

<h2Notice period</h2 <pLandlords must give <strongfour months' notice</strong when using these grounds, which GOV.UK says is intended to give tenants more time to find a new home.</p

<h2The re-letting restriction</h2 <pTo prevent misuse, GOV.UK says landlords <strongcannot market or re-let the property for 12 months after using the moving in or selling grounds</strong. There is an exception for shared owners using Ground 1A where they can demonstrate a genuine attempt to sell.</p

<h2Compliance blocks on possession</h2 <pGOV.UK also states that landlords will be prevented from gaining possession if they have <strongnot properly protected a tenant's deposit or registered the property on the PRS Database</strong. Non-compliance can always be rectified, so a landlord is not blocked indefinitely. These restrictions do not apply to antisocial behaviour grounds.</p

<h2Arrears grounds, for comparison</h2 <pThe mandatory arrears threshold rises from <strong2 to 3 months' arrears</strong and the notice period from <strong2 weeks to 4 weeks</strong. Discretionary arrears grounds remain available, for example where rent is repeatedly late.</p

<h2Evidence the court will expect</h2 <pGOV.UK confirms landlords must still go to court if a tenant does not leave, and must <strongprovide evidence that the ground is met</strong. For mandatory grounds the court must award possession if the ground is proven; for discretionary grounds the court also considers whether eviction is reasonable.</p

<pOur <a href="/renters-rights-act-2025-landlord-checklist"Renters' Rights Act 2025 landlord checklist</a sets out the records to have ready before serving notice.</p

<h2Official sources</h2 <ul <li<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act" rel="nofollow"GOV.UK — Guide to the Renters' Rights Act</a</li <li<a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/26/contents" rel="nofollow"legislation.gov.uk — Renters' Rights Act 2025</a</li </ul <p<emEngland only. General information, not legal advice.</em</p

Sources: - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/26/contents

Published: 2026-08-10.

Last reviewed: 2026-08-30.

General summary; not legal advice.