UK Schedule 2 Reformed Grounds for Possession: Complete Guide

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 reforms Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988 — the schedule that specifies the grounds on which a landlord may seek possession of an Assured Periodic Tenancy (APT). With Section 21 repealed from 1 May 2026, Schedule 2 is now the only route to possession. This guide walks through all 37 grounds, their notice periods, and where they fit in practical landlord scenarios.

The Two Categories — Mandatory vs Discretionary

Schedule 2 is split into Part 1 (mandatory grounds) and Part 2 (discretionary grounds).

Mandatory grounds: If the landlord proves the ground, the court must order possession. The court has no discretion to refuse on equitable grounds.

Discretionary grounds: Even if the ground is proven, the court orders possession only if it considers it reasonable having regard to all the circumstances.

Statute: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/50/schedule/2.

Mandatory Grounds (Part 1) — 1 to 8

Ground 1 — Landlord (or Family) Wants to Move In

Substance. The landlord, or the landlord’s spouse, civil partner, parent, child, sibling, or a defined relative, intends to occupy the dwelling as their only or principal home.

Notice period: 4 months.

Restrictions: None on the timing of the tenancy; can be used at any point.

Practical use: Letting out a property while abroad and now returning. Letting a child’s first home and now wanting to move family in.

Ground 1A — Landlord Intends to Sell

Substance. The landlord intends to sell the property (or grant a long lease).

Notice period: 4 months.

Restrictions:

• Cannot be used in the first 12 months of the tenancy
• Landlord cannot re-let or re-market the property for 12 months after recovering possession (anti-abuse provision)

Practical use: Selling investment property. Liquidating a buy-to-let portfolio.

Ground 2 — Mortgagee Selling Under Power of Sale

Substance. The property is subject to a mortgage and the mortgagee is exercising the power of sale, requiring vacant possession.

Notice period: 4 months.

Practical use: Where the landlord has defaulted on the mortgage and the lender is repossessing.

Ground 3 — Holiday Let Out of Season

Substance. The property was previously let as a holiday let and is now let on a fixed-term tenancy of less than 8 months, with notice given to the tenant before the tenancy started that possession would be sought on this ground at end of term.

Notice period: 2 weeks.

Practical use: Off-season holiday accommodation let to a winter resident — narrow, niche use.

Ground 4 — Educational Institution Let

Substance. Property let by a specified educational institution to a tenant who is not a student of that institution; possession sought to allocate to a student.

Notice period: 2 weeks.

Practical use: University-owned properties at academic-year transition.

Ground 5 — Minister of Religion’s Residence

Substance. The dwelling is required as a residence for a minister of religion.

Notice period: 2 months.

Ground 6 — Demolition or Substantial Works

Substance. The landlord intends to demolish, reconstruct, or carry out substantial works that cannot reasonably be done without obtaining vacant possession.

Notice period: 4 months.

Restrictions: Landlord must demonstrate genuine intention; speculative works are insufficient.

Ground 7 — Death of Tenant (with Re-grant)

Substance. The previous tenant has died and there is no statutory succession.

Notice period: 2 months.

Ground 7A — Anti-Social Behaviour with Conviction

Substance. Tenant or person residing in / visiting the property has been convicted of an indictable offence committed in or near the property, or has been convicted of breach of an injunction relating to anti-social behaviour, or has been convicted of an offence under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, s.80.

Notice period: 1 month after conviction.

Practical use: Rapid possession after a tenant is convicted of serious anti-social or criminal conduct.

Ground 7B — Tenant Without Right to Rent

Substance. Where the Secretary of State has notified the landlord that the tenant has no right to rent under Immigration Act 2014.

Notice period: Variable; specified.

Ground 8 — Rent Arrears (3+ Months)

Substance. Both at the date of service of the notice and at the date of the hearing, the tenant is at least:

• 3 months in arrears (rent paid monthly), or
• 13 weeks in arrears (rent paid weekly or fortnightly)

Notice period: 4 weeks.

Critical change from old regime: The threshold was 2 months / 8 weeks under the old AST regime. The RRA 2025 increased it to 3 months / 13 weeks.

Practical use: The principal mandatory ground in routine practice. Most rent-default possession claims rely on Ground 8 (often combined with Ground 10 and 11 as fall-backs).

Discretionary Grounds (Part 2) — 9 to 17

Ground 9 — Suitable Alternative Accommodation Available

Substance. Suitable alternative accommodation is available for the tenant.

Notice period: 2 months.

Practical use: Rare in private sector; more common in social housing.

Ground 10 — Some Rent Unpaid

Substance. Some rent is unpaid at the date of service of the notice and at the date of proceedings.

Notice period: 4 weeks.

Practical use: Used alongside Ground 8 as a fall-back. Even if arrears fall below the Ground 8 threshold by the hearing, Ground 10 may still apply.

Ground 11 — Persistent Delay in Paying Rent

Substance. Whether or not any rent is in arrears at the date of proceedings, the tenant has persistently delayed in paying rent due.

Notice period: 4 weeks.

Practical use: Pattern of late payment, even if eventually paid. Commonly used with Ground 8 and 10 as a triple-pronged claim.

Ground 12 — Breach of Tenancy Obligation

Substance. Any obligation of the tenancy (other than payment of rent) has been broken.

Notice period: 2 weeks (often varied — check current).

Practical use: Unauthorised pets after refusal of consent; unauthorised sub-letting; allowing damage.

Ground 13 — Deterioration of Property

Substance. The condition of the dwelling has deteriorated due to acts of waste, neglect, or default of the tenant or any person residing with them.

Notice period: 2 weeks.

Ground 14 — Anti-Social Behaviour

Substance. Tenant, household member, or visitor has been guilty of conduct causing or likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance to a person living in / visiting the locality, or has been convicted of using the dwelling for immoral or illegal purposes.

Notice period: Immediate / no notice.

Practical use: The principal anti-social behaviour ground. Often used alongside Ground 14ZA (rioting offences) and 14A (domestic violence in social housing).

Ground 14ZA — Rioting Offence

Substance. Tenant has been convicted of an indictable offence committed at the scene of a riot in the UK.

Notice period: Specified.

Ground 14A — Domestic Violence (Social Housing)

Substance. Specified social-housing situations where one of two tenants has departed due to domestic violence and is unlikely to return.

Notice period: Specified.

Ground 15 — Deterioration of Furniture

Substance. Furniture provided by the landlord has deteriorated due to ill-treatment by the tenant or person residing with them.

Notice period: 2 weeks.

Ground 16 — Former Employee

Substance. The dwelling was let in consequence of the tenant’s employment by the landlord and that employment has ceased.

Notice period: 2 months.

Practical use: Service tenancies where employment ends.

Ground 17 — Inducing Tenancy by False Statement

Substance. The tenant induced the grant of the tenancy by making a knowingly false statement.

Notice period: 2 weeks.

Practical use: Tenant lied on a referencing form (employer, income, identity).

Other Specified Grounds

The RRA 2025 added or amended several additional grounds (numbered with letter suffixes such as 1B, 6A, 14ZA, 14B, etc.) covering specific scenarios including:

• Carer accommodation
• Specialist supported housing
• Local authority temporary accommodation
• Stepping-stone accommodation

Total grounds in revised Schedule 2: 37.

How to Choose the Right Ground

For routine cases:

In practice, landlords often plead multiple grounds in the same Section 8 notice to maximise the chance of success.

Notice Periods Summary Table

What This Means in Practice

1. Possession is slower. With Section 21 gone and 4-month notice on the major mandatory grounds, expect 6–9 months from decision to vacant possession in routine cases.

2. Documentation matters more. Discretionary grounds require the court to find it “reasonable” to grant possession. Good records (rent ledger, written warnings, photographs of damage, tenant correspondence) are decisive.

3. Notice-form precision matters. A defective Section 8 notice (wrong ground, wrong notice period, wrong service date) is often a complete defence. Use correct prescribed forms.

4. Strategic pleading wins. Plead alternative grounds in the same notice (e.g. Ground 8 + 10 + 11 for rent cases). The court considers each.

5. Mediation and ACAS-style settlement become more attractive. With possession routes slower and procedurally rigorous, many landlords will find negotiated departure (with rent forgiveness or relocation contribution) commercially better than litigation.

Conclusion

Schedule 2 is now the entire possession landscape for English assured tenancies. 37 grounds, varying notice periods, mandatory vs discretionary distinction. Landlords who understand the structure and plead carefully will recover possession; those who rely on outdated AST instincts will find every step slower and more procedural than under the old regime.

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Disclaimer

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Sources

1. Housing Act 1988 — Schedule 2 (revised): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/50/schedule/2
2. Renters’ Rights Act 2025: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/26/contents
3. Eviction notices from landlords: https://www.gov.uk/eviction-notices-from-landlords
4. Possession claim online: https://www.gov.uk/possession-claim-online-recover-property