What are the Ground 4A conditions?
All six must be met (Housing Act 1988, Schedule 2, Ground 4A, inserted by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 from 1 May 2026):
| Condition | What the ground says |
|---|---|
| The property | The home is an HMO, or is in an HMO. |
| The tenants | Every tenant meets the student test when the tenancy is entered into. |
| The written statement | Before the tenancy is entered into, the landlord gives the tenant a written statement that they want to be able to recover possession on this basis, and that they intend to let to students next time. |
| Agreed in advance | No more than six months between the day the tenancy is entered into and the day the tenants are entitled to move in. |
| The date in the notice | Falls between 1 June and 30 September in any year. |
| The next letting | The landlord intends to let the home to students again next time. |
“HMO” has the meaning in Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 (Schedule 2, Part 5). Read HMO landlords and agents for licensing.
Who counts as a student?
A tenant meets the student test if they are a full-time student when the tenancy is entered into, or the landlord reasonably believes they will become one during the tenancy. A full-time student is someone on a full-time course of the kinds the ground lists, at an institution in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. With joint tenants, all of them must meet the test.
When can the notice end?
For this ground the “relevant date” is the date given in the Section 8 notice (Schedule 2, Part 5). It must fall between 1 June and 30 September. The notice period for Ground 4A is four months, starting with the day of service (section 8(4AA)).
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Written statement given, then tenancy signed | Thursday 1 April 2027 |
| Tenants entitled to move in | Wednesday 1 September 2027 (five months later, so within six) |
| Section 8 notice served by hand | Wednesday 1 March 2028 |
| Four months from service end | Friday 30 June 2028 |
| Date given in the notice | Saturday 1 July 2028, inside 1 June to 30 September |
Had the same group signed on Monday 1 February 2027 for a 1 September 2027 start, seven months would separate signing and move-in. Ground 4A would not be available against them. Check other grounds with the Section 8 notice period calculator.
What does Abide.Rent do for student lets?
- The written statement. Start it from a blank template, send it for signature before the tenancy is entered into, and keep the signed copy with its audit certificate. Read documents, templates and signing.
- The notice. Abide.Rent builds the Section 8 notice from the tenancy, works out the notice period from the grounds you choose, and records how and when it was served. Read Section 8 grounds and notice periods and generate and serve a notice.
- After the notice. Record each stage, from claim issued to possession, with its date. See the possession tracker.
Abide.Rent works out dates from what is entered. Whether a ground is made out is for the court.