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The tenant, a household member, or a visitor has been convicted of a serious offence committed at or near the property.
Ground 7A of Schedule 2 to the Housing Act 1988 provides a mandatory ground for possession where the tenant, a member of the tenant's household, or a person who has been visiting the property has been convicted of a serious criminal offence. The offence must have been committed in the dwelling, in the locality of the dwelling, or elsewhere against a person with a right to reside in the locality.
This ground was introduced by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and is designed to allow landlords to take swift action where a serious criminal offence has been committed. "Serious offence" is defined by reference to a list set out in Schedule 2A to the Housing Act 1988, which includes offences such as violence against the person, sexual offences, drug dealing, and certain firearms offences.
The key requirement is that the relevant person (tenant, household member, or visitor) must have been convicted of the offence. A mere allegation, charge, or arrest is not sufficient — there must be an actual conviction. This provides an objective, evidence-based threshold that protects tenants from unsubstantiated claims.
The notice period for Ground 7A is 4 weeks. This shorter notice period reflects the seriousness of the conduct and the need for a relatively swift response. The landlord must serve a Section 8 notice specifying Ground 7A and identifying the conviction relied upon.
Ground 7A is not subject to the 12-month restriction under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. The ground can be used at any point during the tenancy, regardless of how long it has been running.
As a mandatory ground, the court must grant a possession order if the conviction is proved and falls within the defined list of serious offences. The court has no discretion to refuse on grounds of reasonableness or personal circumstances. This makes Ground 7A a powerful tool, but one that should only be used where the conviction evidence is clear.
Landlords should be aware that the conviction must relate to an offence committed in the relevant geographical area (the property, its locality, or against a person in the locality). A conviction for an unrelated offence committed in a different part of the country would not satisfy this ground.
A properly drafted tenancy agreement makes it far easier to rely on Section 8 grounds if things go wrong. Generate your complete RRA-compliant document pack in minutes.
This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change and individual circumstances vary. You should always seek independent legal advice before taking action to recover possession. TenancyPack is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.