With Section 21 abolished from 1 May 2026, Ground 14 has become significantly more important for landlords dealing with tenants causing anti-social behaviour (ASB). Previously, a landlord facing a difficult ASB tenant could serve a Section 21 notice — avoiding the need to prove specific grounds. Post-RRA 2025, the landlord must satisfy the court that Ground 14 applies and that it is reasonable to make a possession order. This requires gathering and presenting evidence of the anti-social behaviour: police logs, noise abatement notices, witness statements from neighbours, CCTV evidence, correspondence records.
Ground 14 is a broad ground — it covers nuisance, annoyance, and criminality at or near the property. It extends to conduct by the tenant, by people who live with the tenant, and by visitors. A tenant cannot escape liability for Ground 14 by arguing that the conduct was by their partner or their guests — where the ASB is by someone residing in or visiting the property, Ground 14 is engaged.
Ground 14 — what conduct qualifies and who it extends to
Ground 14 HA 1988 (as amended by RRA 2025) covers two distinct categories of conduct:
- Category A — nuisance or annoyance: The tenant, or a person residing in or visiting the premises, has been guilty of conduct causing or likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance to a person residing, visiting, or otherwise engaged in a lawful activity in the locality of the dwelling. 'Locality' is interpreted broadly — it includes not just immediately adjacent properties but the wider neighbourhood. 'Likely to cause' means that actual harm need not have occurred — the conduct need only have the potential to cause nuisance or annoyance
- Category B — conviction for using dwelling for illegal purposes: The tenant, or a person residing in or visiting the premises, has been convicted of: using the premises or allowing the premises to be used for immoral or illegal purposes; or an indictable offence committed in, or in the locality of, the dwelling. A drug supply conviction, a violent offence committed in or near the property, or a conviction for operating the property as a brothel would all fall within this category
- Who is covered — residents AND visitors: Ground 14 extends beyond the named tenant. Conduct by anyone 'residing in or visiting the premises' engages the ground. This includes: joint tenants; the tenant's partner living at the property; the tenant's adult children; lodgers; regular visitors. A landlord does not need to identify which individual was responsible if the conduct is attributable to the household generally
- Discretionary nature — the court must find it reasonable: Unlike Ground 8 (serious rent arrears — mandatory if the threshold is met), Ground 14 is discretionary. Even where the conduct clearly meets the threshold, the court can decline to make a possession order if it does not consider it reasonable to do so. The court will consider: the severity and duration of the ASB; the impact on neighbours; the tenant's circumstances; whether the tenant has taken steps to address the behaviour
Notice requirements — 2 weeks and immediate court access
The notice requirements for Ground 14 under the RRA 2025 regime differ importantly from the position under the pre-RRA 2025 AST framework:
- 2-week notice period: A landlord wishing to rely on Ground 14 must serve a prescribed notice on the tenant specifying Ground 14 and the particulars of the conduct relied upon. The notice period for Ground 14 is 2 weeks — shorter than the notice period for most other grounds (which are generally 2 months or 4 weeks). This reflects the legislature's recognition that ASB landlord cases require speed
- Immediate court application: Unlike most grounds (where the landlord cannot apply to court until the notice period has expired), Ground 14 allows the landlord to apply to court immediately from the date of service of the notice — not from the expiry of the 2-week period. This means the landlord can issue proceedings the day after serving the notice, with the case being heard after the 2-week notice period has elapsed. This is a significant advantage for landlords dealing with severe or dangerous ASB
- Ground 14A — domestic abuse (joint tenancy): Ground 14A applies where the tenancy is in joint names, one tenant has left the property because of violence or threats of violence by the other tenant, and the remaining tenant is the perpetrator. Ground 14A requires a 2-week notice but is mandatory where the conditions are met (unlike Ground 14 which is discretionary). Ground 14A is often pleaded alongside Ground 14 in domestic violence situations
- Prescribed form of notice: Post-RRA 2025, the prescribed notice form replaces the old Section 8 notice form. The notice must specify the ground relied on, the particulars of the conduct, and the date after which the landlord may apply to court. A notice that fails to include adequate particulars of the ASB may be challenged by the tenant as defective
Evidence requirements — building a Ground 14 case
Ground 14 is a discretionary ground and the strength of the evidence is critical to whether the court makes a possession order. Landlords should compile evidence systematically from the first incident:
- Noise and nuisance logs: Keep a dated log of every complaint received from neighbours, of every incident witnessed by the landlord or agent, and of every noise abatement warning or notice. Include dates, times, descriptions of the behaviour, and identification of the individuals involved where possible. Unsigned or undated logs carry less weight than contemporaneous dated records
- Police reports and actions: Obtain copies of any police call-outs, incident numbers, cautions, restraining orders, or criminal convictions related to incidents at or near the property. Police involvement is strong evidence of severity. Under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, council Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinators can share information with landlords for ASB case management purposes
- Neighbour witness statements: Statements from affected neighbours carry significant weight. Ideally, these should be signed witness statements in a standard format that can be used as evidence in court. However, some neighbours are reluctant to give evidence — in such cases, anonymous complaints (with the person's identity known to the court but not disclosed to the tenant) may be used in some circumstances, though anonymous evidence has limitations
- Council and environmental health notices: Noise abatement notices, Community Protection Notices (CPNs) under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, or Community Protection Warnings are formal records of ASB. These are significant evidence as they represent the judgment of a public authority that the behaviour met the statutory threshold
- CCTV and photographic evidence: Where damage, graffiti, or identifiable ASB incidents are visible, timestamped CCTV footage or photographs are valuable. Ensure the footage is preserved and stored securely. CCTV evidence must comply with data protection requirements (GDPR/UK GDPR)
Alternatives to possession — ASB injunctions and Community Protection Notices
Where the landlord does not wish to pursue possession immediately, or where possession proceedings are ongoing, several alternative or complementary legal tools are available to address ASB:
- Injunction under the ASB Crime and Policing Act 2014 (s.1): The local authority (or in some cases the landlord, as a 'relevant person') can apply to the county court or Family Court for an injunction against the perpetrator. An ASBCPA 2014 injunction can require the perpetrator to do things (engage with support services) or prohibit them from doing things (attending certain areas, contacting certain persons). Breach of an injunction is contempt of court — punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment. The landlord should contact the local authority ASB team to explore whether an injunction is available
- Community Protection Notice (CPN): A CPN is issued by a council officer or police officer to a person whose conduct is having a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality. A CPN can require the recipient to stop specified conduct and remedy any harm done. Breach of a CPN is a criminal offence (fixed penalty notice or prosecution). A CPN issued to the tenant at the address may assist the landlord's Ground 14 case as evidence of the severity of the behaviour
- Civil Injunction in the landlord's own right: Where the tenant's conduct constitutes a nuisance to the landlord's other tenants or other property, the landlord may be able to obtain a civil injunction in their own name to restrain the nuisance. This is more common for commercial landlords and blocks of flats; it is rarely used for single residential lets but may be available in appropriate cases
- Referral to local authority housing enforcement: Where the tenant is engaged in conduct that constitutes an HMO licensing breach (e.g. unlawful subletting, overcrowding) or a breach of planning consent, referral to the local authority housing enforcement team may result in enforcement action that assists the landlord's possession case
Frequently asked questions
Is Ground 14 mandatory or discretionary under the Renters' Rights Act 2025?+
Ground 14 is discretionary — the court must be satisfied both that the ground is made out AND that it is reasonable to make a possession order. Even where the conduct clearly qualifies, the court can decline to make an order if it does not consider it reasonable. Strong, contemporaneous evidence of the ASB and its impact on neighbours significantly improves the landlord's prospects.
How much notice must a landlord give for Ground 14?+
2 weeks. Unlike most possession grounds, the landlord can also apply to court immediately from the date of service of the notice — without waiting for the 2-week period to expire. This allows the landlord to issue proceedings the day after serving the notice, with the hearing scheduled after the notice period has expired.
What evidence does a landlord need for a Ground 14 possession claim?+
Contemporaneous noise and nuisance logs; police reports and incident numbers; neighbour witness statements; council and environmental health notices (Community Protection Notices, noise abatement notices); CCTV footage; any criminal convictions. The stronger and more contemporaneous the evidence, the more likely the court is to find it reasonable to make a possession order.
Can a landlord rely on Ground 14 if the ASB was caused by the tenant's visitor?+
Yes. Ground 14 extends to conduct by 'a person residing in or visiting the premises' — not only the named tenant. ASB by the tenant's partner, adult children living at the property, lodgers, or regular visitors is capable of engaging Ground 14. The landlord does not need to identify the specific individual if the conduct is attributable to the household.