The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 aims to strengthen tenant rights to create a fairer private rented sector (PRS).
The abolishment of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions earlier this month means that landlords may now evict tenants only by serving a Section 8 notice and on valid legal grounds.
To balance the rights of landlords and tenants, the Section 8 grounds for eviction have also been strengthened, including the addition of Ground 4a, which applies to student lets only.
Ground 4a is a new mandatory ground for possession, designed to help student landlords regain possession of their properties in time for the next academic year.
In this article, we’ll explain how Ground 4a works, when you can use it, and how the rules are being applied to existing student lets during the transitional period.
How have possession rules changed for student lets?
The abolishment of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions marks a key change for all landlords and tenants across the whole private rented sector. Landlords are no longer able to evict tenants without legal grounds to do so. Without Section 21, they can only evict tenants by using a Section 8 notice and providing a valid legal ground for possession.
Strengthened Section 8 grounds for possession
To compensate for Section 21 evictions being abolished and balance the rights of landlords and tenants, the Section 8 grounds for possession have also been strengthened. This will ensure that landlords can still regain possession of their properties if they have a valid reason for doing so or if tenants have breached the terms of their agreement.
All landlords, including student landlords, can now serve a Section 8 notice with the following grounds:
- Non-payment of rent
- Anti-social behaviour
- Landlord wishes to sell the property
- Landlord wishes to move family into the property
Section 8 Ground 4a
This is the new ground for possession, added specifically for student landlords. In certain circumstances, landlords can use Ground 4a to regain possession of a student HMO at the end of the academic year to make room for a new group of students.
Under what conditions can landlords use Ground 4a?
Ground 4a will become an essential tool for student landlords, allowing them to end tenancies in line with the academic year so that they can re-let to a new group of students.
However, there are strict rules as to when and how Ground 4a can be used, and there are penalties for misuse, so landlords must make sure they fully understand the rules before using Ground 4a for the first time.
Key conditions for using Ground 4a
- All tenants must be full-time students: If one or more tenants are not students, Ground 4a cannot be used.
- The property must be a student HMO: The property must be used as student accommodation and let to three or more people who form one household and share facilities.
- The landlord must intend to re-let to full-time students: You cannot use Ground 4a to regain possession for any other reason.
- Formal written notice should be given of intent to use Ground 4a: This should be a formal written notice, given to the tenants before they enter into the tenancy, so they know what to expect.
- The six-month rule applies: The tenancy must have been signed less than 6 months before the date the tenants could move in.
- The correct notice period must be followed: Landlords must provide tenants with four months’ notice before applying to the court for the possession order.
- Possession can only take effect between June and September: In line with the end of one academic year and the start of the next.
Has Ground 4a come into effect?
Yes, Ground 4a has already come into effect. Many of the reforms introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act came into effect on 1 May 2026, including the new grounds for possession under Section 8.
Student landlords can no longer use Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions and should make sure they’re familiar with the strengthened Section 8 grounds for possession, including Ground 4a.
Can I use Section 8 Ground 4a now for existing tenancies?
Student landlords should be aware that some special rules apply for existing tenancies signed before 1 May 2026 during the transitional period.
Special rules during the transitional period
If you already have student tenants, you have until 31 May 2026 to give them written notice that you may use Ground 4a to regain possession.
When using Ground 4a between 1 May 2026 and 31 July 2026, you only need to give two months’ notice rather than four.
During this transitional period, you can use Ground 4a even if the tenancy was signed more than six months before the date the tenants could move in.
What does the introduction of Ground 4a mean for student landlords?
Without Section 21 to fall back on, Ground 4a of Section 8 provides landlords with a clear route for regaining possession of their properties, ready for the next influx of students. However, it will require landlords to take a more structured and less flexible approach to managing their student lets.
The strict notice requirements will make it more important that landlords plan ahead and become more organised to prevent missing the cut-off date for giving tenants notice.
Landlords may also choose to become stricter about who they rent to, as Ground 4a cannot be applied to mixed households that contain both students and non-students.
Steps for managing student lets effectively using Ground 4a
Adapting to the new rules doesn’t require a complete overhaul, just a few small tweaks to how you manage your student lets.
We’ve put together a few practical steps to help you adapt your processes to ensure your portfolio keeps running smoothly under the new rules.
Improve your tenant screening process
Now that there is less flexibility when it comes to evicting tenants, landlords should consider tightening up their tenant screening process. An effective screening process should include referencing, affordability checks, a guarantor, and student status checks. Spending more time screening tenants can help to reduce the risk of encountering problems later down the line.
Avoid mixed households
As Ground 4a can only be used if all tenants at the property are full-time students, avoiding mixed households will keep things simpler and help to reduce risk.
Review and update your tenancy agreements
Your tenancy agreements will need to be updated to include information about what Ground 4a is and how it may be used.
Align tenancy dates with the academic year
Ground 4a notices can only be enforced between 1 June and 30 September, to help landlords regain possession of their property in time for the next intake of students at the start of the academic year. It will now be more important than ever that student landlords align tenancy dates with the academic year to avoid missing this window.
Put a clear notice process in place
Ground 4a can only legally be used if the strict notice periods have been met. Landlords will need to put processes in place to help them track key dates and avoid missing important deadlines. Which leads us nicely onto…
Sign up for PaTMa’s Property Manager to help manage student lets
Managing student lets under the new rules requires greater organisation and better record-keeping, which is exactly what PaTMa’s Property Manager is designed to help with.
By pulling everything together into one place, Property Manager helps landlords to stay on top of their responsibilities and manage compliance with ease.
Key features include:
- Providing automated reminders of key dates and deadlines.
- Keeping a clear and comprehensive audit trail.
- Logging tenant communications.
- Storing key documents, and so much more…
Book a free online demo or start your free trial today to find out how PaTMa can help you streamline your daily operations and comply with the new Renters’ Rights Act reforms.
