New Rules - Section 8 Grounds 1 and 1A
The reliance on these 2 Mandatory Grounds under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 have raised significant questions throughout the private rented sector.
Comments published by the national press, trade press and those who do not understand the intricacies and detail are far from helpful.
Landlords must obtain legal advice before going down this route, ensuring the time-frames are adhered to and the restrictions are not breached.
The government has published further guidance on the rules that will govern the service of Section 8 under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
Clarification on Mandatory Grounds 1 and 1A of the Renters’ Rights Act
The Renters’ Rights Act brings some of the biggest changes to the private rented sector for over 30 years. Among those changes are the amended Ground 1 of Section 8 and the introduction og Ground 1A. These Grounds will be relied upon if a landlord intends to sell, or where the landlord or a close family member wish to move into the property.
Understanding Section 21 & Section 8 Notices
Since the White Paper in 2019 presented the abolishment of Section 21, the word "Eviction" has been confused with the “service of the notice. This misunderstanding of the legal processes has caused a great deal of confusion which has been repeated ad infinitum by the trade press, national press, news outlets and even the Government. Whilst this may seem a trivial comment given that the previous and current Government have ‘peddled’ the idea that every Section 21 notice served by a landlord equates to eviction when in fact the service of the Section 21 is a preliminary step in the legal process of ending a tenancy. it is not, in itself, an eviction.
The Queen’s Speech brings back into focus The Renter’s Reform Bill
As a result of the Pandemic, proposed legislation has been put on the back burner. The Queen’s Speech brings back into focus the Renter’s Reform Bill, the Briefing Document highlights the main elements of the Bill which are as follows:-
● Abolishment of the so-called ‘no fault’ evictions by removing Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988. This has been a very key topic, but the general feeling is that with the private rented sector having almost doubled in size in the past 10 years, this is will be welcome news for tenants.
● Reforming Section 8 and the possession grounds for landlords, introducing new and stronger grounds for repeated incidences of rent arrears and reducing notice periods for anti-social behaviour. Amending the Section 8 notice will need to consider what happens when a landlord needs to move back in or sell their property.
● Application of the legally binding Decent Homes Standard in the Private Rented Sector giving tenants safer, better quality and better value homes.
● The introduction of a new Ombudsman for private landlords so that disputes can easily be resolved without the need to go to court.
● The introduction of a new property portal to help landlords understand their obligations and to give tenants performance information to hold their landlord accountable.