If you let rooms to full-time students in an HMO, Ground 4A may be the most important piece of legislation you haven't heard of yet. It's new, the rules are stricter than most landlords realise, and missing the key steps could cost you an entire letting cycle.
Here's what you need to know - and what you need to do before 31 May 2026.
What Is Ground 4A?
Ground 4A is a new possession ground introduced by the Renters' Rights Act 2025, which comes into force on 1 May 2026.
It's the mechanism that allows student HMO landlords to recover their property at the end of the academic year.
Before May 2026, student landlords relied on fixed-term tenancies. When the fixed term ended - typically in June or July - the tenancy ended automatically. Clean break. The landlord could relet to new students in September.
That model is gone. From 1 May 2026, all tenancies become Assured Periodic Tenancies (APTs) with no fixed end date. Without Ground 4A, a student tenant could simply stay put indefinitely.
Ground 4A is the replacement mechanism - but it comes with strict conditions.
Who Can Use Ground 4A?
Ground 4A is only available if all of the following apply:
- Your tenants are (or will be) full-time students - either when they signed the tenancy, or you expect them to become full-time students during it
- You intend to re-let to full-time students when you next let the property
- The property is an HMO (or part of one)
- The tenancy was signed less than 6 months before move-in (for tenancies starting on or after 1 May 2026)
- You gave written notice before tenants signed the tenancy that you may evict them under Ground 4A
- You give 4 months' notice when seeking possession - and that notice period must end between 1 June and 30 September
Every condition must be met. If one fails, Ground 4A is not available.
The notice period timing - read this carefully
This is where many landlords will get caught out.
The notice period doesn't just fall somewhere in the summer - it must end between 1 June and 30 September. That means if you want possession by 30 June, you need to serve the Section 8 notice citing Ground 4A by the end of February.
If you're aiming for a July possession date, serve notice by the end of March. Leave it until May or June and you won't have time to complete the notice period within the seasonal window - which means you lose the ground for that year.
The 31 May 2026 Deadline for Existing Tenancies
If you have students in your HMO right now on tenancies that started before 1 May 2026, different - and more flexible - transitional rules apply.
What changes for pre-May 2026 tenancies:
- You have until 31 May 2026 to serve the written notice that you may use Ground 4A (normally this must be done before tenants sign)
- You only need to give 2 months' notice to seek possession (not 4)
- You can serve that possession notice between 1 May and 30 July 2026
- The 6-month signing rule does not apply
This means landlords with students currently in situ can still protect their 2026-27 letting cycle - but only if they act before 31 May.
Miss that deadline and Ground 4A is not available for those tenancies.
What the Written Notice Must Cover
For all tenancies - whether before or after 1 May 2026 - Ground 4A requires a written notice to tenants before the ground can be used.
Based on the government's guidance, that notice should make clear that:
- The tenants are (or are expected to be) full-time students
- The landlord intends to re-let to full-time students after them
- The landlord may seek possession under Ground 4A
For new tenancies starting on or after 1 May 2026, this notice must be in place before tenants sign - not just before they move in.
The government is expected to publish a prescribed form. Check MHCLG guidance for the most current version. If in doubt, have a solicitor or qualified letting agent review it before serving.
Serve it on every tenant. In a joint tenancy, one copy to one tenant is not enough.
Step-by-Step: What to Do Before 31 May 2026
Step 1: Check which properties qualify
Go through your portfolio. Which are HMOs let to full-time students? Do you intend to keep re-letting to students? Only those properties can use Ground 4A.
Step 2: Serve the written notice by 31 May 2026
For any student HMO tenancy that started before 1 May 2026, you need to serve the Ground 4A written notice by 31 May 2026. Keep dated proof of service.
Step 3: Plan your Section 8 notice dates
Work backwards from when you want possession. You need 2 months' notice (for transitional tenancies) or 4 months' notice (for new tenancies), ending between 1 June and 30 September. Set calendar reminders now.
Step 4: Keep records
If you ever need to use Ground 4A in court, you'll need to prove every condition was met - especially that the written notice was served at the right time. Store everything securely alongside your tenancy agreements.
FAQ
Can I use Ground 4A if I have a mix of students and non-students in the property?
Ground 4A applies where the property is an HMO and you intend to re-let to full-time students. If the current or future tenants are not full-time students, the ground may not be available. Check each property individually.
What if I miss the 31 May 2026 deadline for existing tenancies?
You lose the right to use Ground 4A for those tenancies. You would need to rely on other Section 8 grounds - such as rent arrears or breach of tenancy - which require evidence of fault. If no fault exists, recovering possession becomes significantly harder.
What counts as "full-time"?
Full-time students at universities and further education colleges. Part-time students do not qualify. Students on placement years may be a grey area - take advice if you're unsure.
Does the written notice need to be a prescribed form?
The government is expected to publish a prescribed form. Use it when available. Until then, a clear written notice covering the required points (signed, dated, served before tenants sign the tenancy) is the safest approach - reviewed by a solicitor if possible.
What if I want to stop letting to students after this year?
Ground 4A requires that you intend to re-let to full-time students when you next let the property. If you're planning to change use or let to non-students, Ground 4A is not available to you.
Track Your Compliance Deadlines Without the Stress
Student HMO compliance has never been more complicated. Ground 4A notices. Possession notice timing. The transition to periodic tenancies. Deadlines that are weeks away.
First Door is built for HMO landlords. It tracks your tenants, their status, your compliance obligations, and the deadlines that matter - so nothing slips through.
Take the free quiz at firstdoor.uk/quiz to see how your current setup handles the new rules. No credit card. No sales call.
The 31 May deadline is coming. Don't find out you missed it in June.