Ground 14ZA: conviction for rioting

Ground 14ZA is the Section 8 ground for when your tenant, or an adult living at the property, has been convicted of an indictable offence committed during, and at the scene of, a riot anywhere in the UK. It is discretionary and needs at least 2 weeks' notice on Form 3A. The court must still decide that eviction is reasonable.

What Ground 14ZA means in plain English

Ground 14ZA links a tenancy to serious public disorder elsewhere. Unlike the other antisocial behaviour grounds, the offence does not have to happen in or near the property or affect your neighbours. What matters is that a qualifying person was convicted of a qualifying offence at a riot in the UK. The ground applies to tenancies in England.

Ground 14ZA conditions

You must show that:

1. the person convicted is the tenant, or an adult living at the property;
2. they were convicted of an indictable offence;
3. the offence was committed during, and at the scene of, a riot in the UK; and
4. it is reasonable for the court to order possession.

Some things fall outside the ground. A visitor's conviction does not count, and nor does a conviction of someone under 18. An arrest or a charge is not enough. An offence committed somewhere else, after the riot had ended, does not fit the wording either. If you are unsure whether the offence on the certificate is indictable or was committed at the scene, take advice from a solicitor before you serve.

How it compares with Grounds 14 and 7A

If the facts also fit Ground 14 or Ground 7A, include them. Including either one lets the date in the notice be the date of service.

How much notice does Ground 14ZA need?

The minimum is 2 weeks, beginning with the day of service. The question 2.1 date on Form 3A should be the day after it ends. A notice handed to the tenant on Tuesday 3 November 2026 can give Tuesday 17 November 2026. If you post it, work from the day it will reach the tenant. Use our notice period calculator if you are combining grounds.

There is no deadline in the ground between the conviction and your notice, but you must start court proceedings within 12 months of service.

What evidence do you need?

• A certificate of conviction from the court that convicted the person, showing the offence and the date.
• Evidence linking the offence to the riot, such as the charge wording, sentencing remarks or press reports of the case.
• Evidence that the person is the tenant, or an adult who lives at the property, such as the tenancy agreement, your occupier records or Right to Rent check records.
• Your deposit protection certificate and proof you gave the prescribed information. The deposit bar applies to Ground 14ZA.

How to write the Form 3A explanation (question 4.3)

There is no tick box for Ground 14ZA in question 4.1, so tick "Other". In question 4.2, copy the full legal wording of the ground from GOV.UK's legal-wording document. In question 4.3, set out who was convicted, of what, where and when. A short sample for a fictional landlord:

Ground 14ZA. On 7 September 2026 at Anytown Crown Court, Jordan Lee, the tenant's adult son, who has lived at the property since the tenancy began, was convicted of an indictable offence committed during, and at the scene of, a riot in Anytown town centre on 3 July 2026. A certificate of conviction is attached.

What will the court consider?

Ground 14ZA is discretionary. Even with a conviction, the court must decide that ordering possession is reasonable, weighing the interests of you, the tenant and the public. Expect it to look at the seriousness of the offence and the sentence, whether the person convicted still lives at the property, the tenant's own part in it (especially where the tenant was not the one convicted), how long ago it happened, and the effect of an order on the rest of the household. It can adjourn, suspend or postpone an order on conditions.

Ground 14ZA mistakes to avoid

• Serving before a conviction, on the strength of an arrest, a charge or news coverage.
• The wrong person. A visitor or a child living at the property does not count.
• No link to the riot. The certificate must show, or other evidence must prove, that the offence was committed during and at the scene of the riot.
• Leaving out Ground 7A when it fits. A mandatory ground is stronger, so include it alongside 14ZA if its conditions and deadlines are met.
• An unprotected deposit, which stops the court making the order.

This page covers England only. Wales (Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016), Scotland and Northern Ireland have different law.

What to do next

Our Section 8 notice builder adds the Ground 14ZA legal wording and works out the earliest date. Read how to evict a tenant for antisocial behaviour for the full process, or compare every ground in the Section 8 grounds guide. If the tenant disputes the facts or the conviction is under appeal, speak to a solicitor before you serve.