England Form 3A ground guide

How to Evict a Tenant Using Ground 1A - Selling the Property

Use this landlord guide to check what Ground 1A means, the current post-May 2026 notice period, the evidence to gather, and the safest next document step before serving Form 3A.

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Ground meaning

Ground 1A is for landlords who intend to sell the dwelling house. It is the sale route, not the landlord-moving-back-in route.

Mandatory or discretionary status

Ground 1A is mandatory.

Current notice period

The current post-May 2026 notice period is 4 months.

How landlords use Ground 1A

Landlords use Ground 1A when they need possession so the property can be sold. The notice should explain the sale intention and the evidence showing that the sale is real and current.

Use our validated, solicitor-approved Notice Only route when you need a Form 3A notice and service pack. Use Complete Pack when court progression is likely and you want official court forms, evidence prompts, and a court-ready file prepared together.

See a real Form 3A notice with sample Ground 1A evidence.

Post-May 2026 compliance note

For post-May 2026 England cases, use Form 3A, give 4 months notice, and respect the 12-month protected period. Keep evidence of sale intention and understand the post-possession restrictions before relying on this ground.

The notice must set out the substance of the ground and the reasons relied on. If the tenant does not leave, the landlord must prove the ground at court with a consistent notice, service record, and evidence bundle.

Common mistakes with Ground 1A

Using Ground 1A when the real reason is landlord or family occupation
Serving a notice that expires before the protected period ends
Having no practical sale evidence beyond a bare intention
Forgetting the 12-month re-letting or marketing restriction after possession
Mixing sale and arrears narratives so the ground looks unfocused

Ground 1A evidence checklist

Ground 1A evidence should show a genuine sale plan and a clean timeline from valuation to marketing or conveyancing.

Estate agent instruction, valuation, marketing plan, or conveyancing correspondence
Board approval or owner decision record where the landlord is a company
Tenancy start date and 12-month protected-period calculation
Form 3A particulars explaining the sale intention
Deposit, prescribed information, and notice-service proof unless already cured or returned

Download the ungated Ground 1A PDF checklist.

Next step

Prepare the right document route for Ground 1A

Start with Notice Only if you need the notice and service pack now. Choose Complete Pack if you expect the tenant may stay and you want the court paperwork prepared around the same facts.

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Related grounds

Ground 1: Landlord or family moving in

Ground 1A FAQs

Answers to common landlord questions about using Ground 1A in England.

Ground 1A is used where you want possession because you intend to sell. You still need evidence of that intention and the correct notice timing.

Yes. Ground 1A is mandatory if the statutory requirements are proved, but the court still checks the facts and evidence.

Courts do not pre-approve notices. Use validated Form 3A wording and sale evidence, then the court decides whether the ground is proved if possession proceedings are issued.

Ground 1A is for sale. Ground 1 is for landlord or qualifying family occupation. The evidence and post-possession restrictions are different.