The Renters (Reform) Bill has made amendments to the grounds for eviction under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988. These have been changed and, in some cases, strengthened, to give landlords better protections when evicting a tenant. These changes will be necessary if the Bill becomes law because a Section 21 notice will no longer be valid.

The Bill has introduced Ground 1A to be used where the landlord has an intention to sell. Previously a landlord would have used a Section 21 notice if they intended to sell their property without sitting tenants. This new ground is mandatory, which means that if it is challenged by the tenant, or they do not leave, the judge must grant an order for possession. A judge cannot use their discretion whether or not to enforce this ground for eviction if it has been used correctly. There are further grounds which support this, including if the mortgage lender of a property requires repossession of the property in order for it to be sold (Ground 2) and if the property’s lease ends (Ground 2ZA) or the superior landlord of a lease requires repossession (Ground 2ZB).

New grounds have been proposed to ensure that a landlord can repossess their property for specific tenancy requirements, such as if the property is required for use as part of employment (i.e. accommodation tied to a workplace).