Section 21 ends on 1 May 2026. Every Nottingham landlord must use Section 8 for any possession claim. With around 60,000 students at UoN and NTU concentrated in Lenton, Dunkirk, and the Arboretum, the change has particular implications for the academic-year cycle.
1 May 2026
Section 21 abolished
~60,000
Nottingham students
17
Section 8 grounds available
Ground 4A
New mandatory student ground
Section 21 cannot be served for any AST in England. All existing ASTs become assured periodic. Possession claims must use a specified Section 8 ground.
Nottingham's student market is concentrated in Lenton, Dunkirk, the Arboretum, and Beeston. Ground 4A is the new mandatory route: four months' notice, full-time students, prior-year student letting, intent to re-let. Switching a Lenton HMO to professional sharers for one year loses Ground 4A.
Selling: Ground 1A (mandatory, four months). Moving in family: Ground 1 (mandatory, four months). Student turnover: Ground 4A (mandatory, four months). Serious arrears: Ground 8 (mandatory, two weeks). Persistent late payment: Ground 11 (discretionary). Anti-social behaviour: Ground 14 (discretionary, immediate). Tenancy breach: Ground 12 (discretionary, two weeks).
Possession claims go through Nottingham County Court. Plan for four to six months end-to-end. Review every tenancy; for student HMOs confirm Ground 4A; issue pending Section 21s before 1 May 2026; update tenancy templates; build evidence files; register on PRS Database.
Possession claims for Nottingham properties go through Nottingham County Court. PropReady's document generator picks the correct ground.
No. Section 21 cannot be served after 1 May 2026. Use Ground 4A.
Ground 1A. Mandatory, four months' notice.
No. HMO licences continue unchanged.
Void.
Plan for four to six months end-to-end in clean cases.
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