Grounds only social and supported housing landlords can use

Ten Section 8 grounds are reserved for social landlords and similar providers: Grounds 1B, 4, 5B, 5D, 5E, 5F, 5H, 6A, 14A and 18. They are for registered providers of social housing, other social landlords, charities, universities and colleges, and supported-accommodation providers. A private landlord letting an ordinary home in England should not use them, and Grounds 3 and 16 no longer exist at all.

Which Section 8 grounds are for social landlords only?

Ground	What it covers	Who can use it	Type	Minimum notice
1B	Rent-to-buy tenancy has run its course	Private registered providers only	Mandatory	4 months
4	Former student let by an educational institution	Universities and colleges	Mandatory	2 weeks
5B	Housing let on an employment requirement	Private registered providers only	Mandatory	2 months
5D	End of employment requirements	Private registered providers only	Mandatory	2 months
5E	Home needed as supported accommodation	Supported-accommodation providers	Mandatory	4 weeks
5F	Supported accommodation no longer appropriate	Supported-accommodation providers	Mandatory	4 weeks
5H	Stepping-stone accommodation	Registered providers and charities	Mandatory	2 months
6A	Decant accommodation	Relevant social landlords	Mandatory	4 months
14A	Domestic violence: partner has left	Non-profit and social-housing registered providers, registered social landlords, charitable housing trusts	Discretionary	2 weeks
18	Supported accommodation: tenant refuses to co-operate	Supported-accommodation providers	Discretionary	4 weeks

On the mandatory grounds the court must order possession if the ground is proved. On 14A and 18 it must also decide that an order is reasonable.

What each social housing ground is for

Ground 1B: rent-to-buy

For a private registered provider with a rent-to-buy tenancy: rent at no more than 80% of market rent, with an offer to buy after at least 5 years (10 in London). The agreed period must have expired, the landlord must have kept to the offer-to-sell terms, and it must intend to sell, grant a lease of more than 21 years, or let to someone else.

Ground 4: student lets by educational institutions

For a home that, within the 12 months before the tenancy began, was let as student accommodation by a specified educational institution. GOV.UK says it is for universities and colleges only.

Grounds 5B and 5D: employment housing

Both relate to housing let by private registered providers in connection with employment. They are limited to those providers.

Grounds 5E, 5F and 18: supported accommodation

For landlords that hold homes as supported accommodation, such as housing associations, registered providers, registered charities and voluntary organisations. Ground 5E applies where the home is needed for supported accommodation and the tenant did not move in for care, support or supervision. Ground 5F applies where supported accommodation is no longer appropriate, for example because time-limited support has ended, funding has stopped or the tenant no longer needs that level of support. Ground 18 applies where the tenant has unreasonably refused to co-operate with the support provider.

Ground 5H: stepping-stone accommodation

For a registered provider or charity that let a home at no more than 80% of market rent because the tenant met eligibility conditions (being in work, seeking work, or an age condition) set out in the written tenancy agreement. It applies where the tenant no longer meets them or a limited transition period has ended.

Ground 6A: decant accommodation

Ground 6A covers decant accommodation and is limited to relevant social landlords. A private landlord planning works should look at Ground 6 instead.

Ground 14A: domestic violence

For the social landlords listed in the table, where a partner has left the home because of domestic violence. The landlord must try to serve the notice on the partner who left.

Social housing is still on the old rules

The Renters' Rights Act reforms started on 1 May 2026 for assured tenancies that are not social housing. Social housing assured tenancies let by private registered providers stay on the old regime, and those landlords still use Form 3, until the reforms are applied to them. That is expected no earlier than 2027, and no date has been confirmed.

Form 3A is the private rented sector form. GOV.UK's legal-wording document for it leaves out Grounds 1B, 5B, 5D, 5H, 6A and 14A. If you are a charity, supported-accommodation provider or educational institution, check with a solicitor which form and rules apply to your lettings.

For tenancies granted on or after 1 May 2026 under the new rules, most of these grounds sit on a list that the landlord can flag in the written statement given before the tenancy. Relying on one without that statement can bring a civil penalty of up to £7,000, though it does not stop the court making an order. Ground 5H goes further: the eligibility conditions must be in the written tenancy agreement, or the ground fails.

Grounds 3 and 16 no longer exist

• Ground 3, for out-of-season holiday lets, was removed for private assured tenancies from 1 May 2026.
• Ground 16, for tied accommodation, was renumbered Ground 5C and is now mandatory.

A notice that relies on either old ground is relying on a ground that does not exist.

What private landlords should use instead

If you want to	Social-only ground	Ground a private landlord can use
Recover a student let	4	Ground 4A (student HMO)
Recover a home let with a job	5B, 5D	Ground 5C
Redevelop or carry out major works	6A	Ground 6
Sell instead of continuing a let	1B	Ground 1A

Relying on a ground without a reasonable belief that you could get possession on it breaches the Housing Act 1988. If the tenant then leaves within 4 months without a court order, the council can impose a penalty of up to £7,000. Doing it knowingly or recklessly, where the tenant then leaves within 4 months, is a criminal offence, with an alternative civil penalty of up to £40,000.

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

What to do next

If you are a private landlord, start from the grounds that fit your situation in our Section 8 grounds guide. Our Section 8 notice builder is for private landlords using Form 3A. It flags the social-only grounds as unavailable and suggests the private grounds that fit. If you hold the property under a lease from a housing association or other provider, read about the superior lease grounds and take advice from a solicitor.