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Possession to sell the property

Selling the property: Ground 1A in practice

You cannot use the selling ground within the first 12 months of a tenancy.

A tabbed folder of documents stands on a desk under a warm lamp, with a mug of tea beside it.
A tabbed folder of documents stands on a desk under a warm lamp, with a mug of tea beside it.

Not in the first year

You cannot use the selling ground within the first 12 months of a tenancy.

Four months’ notice

Ground 1A carries a four-month notice period.

A court still decides

If the tenant has not left when the notice ends, you apply for a possession order.

Check the tenancy is past 12 months

From its start date, not from when you decided to sell.

Serve Section 8 on Ground 1A

With the four-month notice period, and keep proof of service.

Have the deposit and register in order

Courts will not give possession where the deposit was not protected properly.

Where it sits

Rules summarised from the government’s Renters’ Rights Act overview for landlords (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/renters-rights-act-an-overview-for-landlords), published 1 May 2026. This is not legal advice; where a tenancy is unusual, take advice.

LetBuddy holds the tenancy’s start date, the deposit protection record and the dated case record a claim relies on. It does not serve notices.

Common questions

Can I sell with the tenant in place?

Yes. Ground 1A is for when you need vacant possession to sell.

What notice do I give?

Four months, and not within the first 12 months of the tenancy.

What if the deposit wasn’t protected?

A court will only give a possession order where the deposit was protected and the information given, or it was returned, or a challenge has been resolved.

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