All 37 Section 8 grounds under the Renters' Rights Act 2026 — including 19 mandatory and 18 discretionary grounds. Correct notice periods, evidence requirements, and mandatory vs discretionary classification. Updated for 1 May 2026.
If a mandatory ground is proven, the court must grant possession — the judge has no discretion. These are the strongest grounds available to landlords.
For discretionary grounds, the court may grant possession if it considers it reasonable to do so. The judge weighs up the circumstances — possession is not guaranteed even if the ground is proven.
Court must grant possession if ground is proven
Court decides whether it is reasonable to grant possession
| Notice Period | Grounds |
|---|---|
| Immediate* (14 days min) | 7A, 14 |
| 2 weeks | 4, 5, 7B, 12, 13, 14A, 14ZA, 15, 17 |
| 4 weeks | 5E, 5F, 5G, 8, 10, 11, 18 |
| 2 months | 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5H, 7, 9 |
| 4 months | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2ZA, 2ZB, 2ZC, 2ZD, 4A, 6, 6B |
* "Immediate" notices: the court order must still take effect at least 14 days after service of the notice.
Under the Renters' Rights Act, a court will not award possession under any Section 8 ground — except Ground 7A (serious ASB/criminal conviction) and Ground 14 (anti-social behaviour) — unless the landlord has properly protected the tenant's deposit in a government-approved scheme. Unlike the old Section 21 rules, the landlord does not need to have served the prescribed information; it is the protection of the deposit itself that is the requirement.
RentersComply generates legally-compliant Form 3A Section 8 notices for all 37 grounds in seconds. Select your ground, enter the property details, and download a court-ready notice — with a full audit trail for every property in your portfolio.