Section 8 Ground Finder: Which Possession Grounds Apply in 2026?

With Section 21 abolished, landlords must use Section 8 grounds to regain possession. Use our free Section 8 Ground Finder tool to identify which grounds apply to your situation under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

<pSince May 2026, <strongSection 21 'no-fault' evictions have been abolished</strong under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Every possession claim now requires valid Section 8 grounds — and choosing the wrong one can mean months of wasted time and legal costs.</p

<pOur free <a href="/tools"Section 8 Ground Finder</a helps you identify which possession grounds apply to your specific situation in seconds.</p

<h2What Changed in May 2026?</h2

<pThe Renters' Rights Act 2025 (commencing 1 May 2026) made fundamental changes to how landlords can regain possession:</p

<ul <li<strongSection 21 abolished entirely</strong — no more 'no-fault' evictions</li <li<strongAll tenancies are now periodic</strong — fixed terms no longer convert automatically</li <li<strongGround 8 threshold increased</strong — mandatory possession now requires <strong3 months' arrears</strong (previously 2 months)</li <li<strongNew Ground 1A introduced</strong — allows possession for sale of the property with vacant possession after the tenancy is 12 months old (family occupation falls under Ground 1, not 1A)</li <li<strongNew prescribed Form 3A</strong — replaces the old Section 8 notice form</li </ul

<h2Mandatory vs Discretionary Grounds</h2

<pUnderstanding the difference is critical for your case:</p

<h3Mandatory Grounds (Court Must Grant Possession)</h3

<pIf you prove the ground is met, the court <strongmust</strong make a possession order:</p

<ul <li<strongGround 1</strong — Landlord wants to move in (prior notice required)</li <li<strongGround 1A (NEW)</strong — Landlord wants to sell or house a family member (requires 12 months' tenancy)</li <li<strongGround 6</strong — Major redevelopment or demolition</li <li<strongGround 8</strong — Serious rent arrears (3+ months under the new rules)</li </ul

<h3Discretionary Grounds (Court Decides)</h3

<pThe court considers whether it's <strongreasonable</strong to grant possession:</p

<ul <li<strongGround 10</strong — Some rent arrears (less than 3 months)</li <li<strongGround 11</strong — Persistent late payment</li <li<strongGround 12</strong — Breach of tenancy terms</li <li<strongGround 13</strong — Waste or neglect of property</li <li<strongGround 14</strong — Anti-social behaviour or nuisance</li <li<strongGround 17</strong — False statement to obtain tenancy</li </ul

<h2How to Use Our Free Section 8 Ground Finder</h2

<pOur <a href="/tools"Section 8 Ground Finder tool</a makes it simple:</p

<ol <li<strongSelect your situation</strong — tick all circumstances that apply (arrears, anti-social behaviour, wanting to sell, etc.)</li <li<strongClick "Find Applicable Grounds"</strong — the tool maps your situation to the correct legal grounds</li <li<strongReview the results</strong — see which grounds are mandatory vs discretionary, with explanations</li </ol

<pThe tool accounts for all 2026 changes including the new Ground 1A and updated Ground 8 threshold.</p

<h2Important Deadlines: Transitional Provisions</h2

<pIf you served a Section 21 notice <strongbefore 1 May 2026</strong, you may still be able to use it — but only if:</p

<ul <liCourt proceedings are commenced before the notice expires, <strongor</strong</li <liProceedings are commenced by <strong31 July 2026</strong, whichever is earlier</li </ul

<pAfter these deadlines, only Section 8 grounds are available.</p

<h2Next Steps After Identifying Your Grounds</h2

<pOnce you know which grounds apply:</p

<ol <li<strongServe notice using Form 3A</strong — the new prescribed form under the Renters' Rights Act</li <li<strongObserve the correct notice period</strong — varies by ground (e.g., 4 weeks for Ground 8, 4 months for Ground 1A)</li <li<strongKeep evidence</strong — document arrears, breaches, or other circumstances thoroughly</li <li<strongSeek legal advice</strong — especially for discretionary grounds where the court has discretion</li </ol

<p<a href="/tools"Try the free Section 8 Ground Finder →</a</p

<pFor comprehensive compliance management including automated alerts and document tracking, <a href="/auth"create your free LetSentry account</a.</p

<p class="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-6"<emThis article provides general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 commenced on 1 May 2026. Always seek professional legal advice before serving possession notices. 📌 Official source: <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/1/contents/enacted" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"Renters' Rights Act 2025</a</em</p

Sources: - https://www.gov.uk/evicting-tenants/section-21-and-section-8-notices - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/50/schedule/2 - https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3764 - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/26/contents - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/4/contents

Published: 2026-04-09.

Last reviewed: 2026-08-30.

General summary; not legal advice.