Ground 4A eviction deadlines loom as new term starts
Propertymark is urging landlords to learn about how the Renters' Rights Act reforms have changed student lets.
Students are preparing to start and return to university in the coming weeks and there are also new lessons coming for landlords.
This will be the first new academic year since the Renters’ Rights Act came in and Propertymark is reminding landlords and lettings agents of their responsibilities.
The rental reforms banned no-fault evictions and ended fixed-term tenancies, which created a potential issue for student landlords.
Landlords who did not use the transitional arrangements are unlikely to obtain possession under Ground 4A during the remaining 2026 window.”
A tenant can now leave after their exams or partway through the academic year, creating a void that may be difficult to fill.
But the reforms also introduced a new Ground 4A claim for possession that is designed to allow qualifying student Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) to be made available to a new group of students for the following academic year.
Propetymark highlights that the coming months will be the first time it is put into practice.
Temporary arrangements
The estate agency trade body highlights that temporary arrangements were introduced to protect the student lettings cycle when the new tenancy system began in May.
For tenancies that started before May 1st 2026, landlords were allowed to serve a Ground 4A notice between May 1st and July 31st 2026 with two months’ notice instead of four months.
Notices validly served during that period may still support possession between June 1st and September 30th 2026.
However, any new Ground 4A notice must follow the standard four-month requirement.
Propertymark said: “In practice, landlords who did not use the transitional arrangements are unlikely to obtain possession under Ground 4A during the remaining 2026 window.
“Agents should therefore review affected cases carefully and plan for summer 2027. Another possession ground may be available depending on the circumstances, but landlords should not assume that Ground 4A can be used outside its specific conditions.”
