Rent Arrears Eviction Checker (Ground 8)

Check whether rent arrears meet the mandatory possession threshold under Ground 8 of the Renters’ Rights Act. Enter the rent and the arrears and the tool shows the threshold, whether it is currently met, and the rules that decide whether a landlord can rely on Ground 8.

Last reviewed: 23 July 2026 · Reflects the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, in force from 1 May 2026

Check the arrears against the Ground 8 threshold

How often is rent paid? The rent period. Monthly tenancies use a three months’ rent threshold; weekly and fortnightly tenancies use thirteen weeks’ rent.

Rent per period The rent for one rent period – e.g. the monthly rent.

Current arrears owed The total unpaid rent currently owed. Do not include arrears that are unpaid only because a universal credit housing payment has not yet come through – those are ignored.

How the Ground 8 arrears threshold works

Ground 8 is the mandatory rent arrears ground: if it is made out, the court must order possession – the judge has no discretion to refuse. Because the outcome is automatic, the threshold is set high and the rules around it are strict. The Renters’ Rights Act raised the bar from 1 May 2026.

The threshold. The tenant must owe at least three months’ rent (for a monthly tenancy) or thirteen weeks’ rent (for a weekly or fortnightly tenancy). This went up from the previous two months / eight weeks.
Met at two points. The arrears must be at or above the threshold both when the notice is served and at the possession hearing. If the tenant pays the arrears down below the threshold before the hearing, the landlord can no longer rely on Ground 8 – this is the single most common reason a Ground 8 claim fails.
Four weeks’ notice. The minimum notice period for the mandatory arrears ground is four weeks, and the court cannot shorten it.
The universal credit carve-out. Any arrears that are unpaid only because a universal credit housing payment the tenant is entitled to has not yet arrived are ignored when working out whether the threshold is met.

Ground 8 is not the only route. Where arrears are below the mandatory threshold, a landlord may still seek possession on the discretionary grounds 10 (some rent arrears) or 11 (persistent delay in paying rent). On those grounds the judge decides whether possession is reasonable – it is not automatic – and landlords often cite them alongside Ground 8.

Worked examples

Example 1: monthly tenancy, just below the line

Rent is £1,200 a month and arrears are £3,000. The Ground 8 threshold is three months’ rent = £3,600. At £3,000 the arrears are 2.5 months’ worth – below the threshold, so Ground 8 is not available yet. A landlord would need to wait until arrears reach £3,600, or consider the discretionary grounds.

Example 2: monthly tenancy, met – but fragile

Rent is £900 a month and arrears are £2,800. The threshold is £2,700, so at £2,800 the threshold is met (about 3.1 months’ rent). But if the tenant pays just £101 before the hearing, arrears drop to £2,699 – below the threshold – and the Ground 8 claim fails at the door.

Example 3: weekly tenancy

Rent is £200 a week and arrears are £2,700. The threshold is thirteen weeks’ rent = £2,600. At £2,700 (13.5 weeks) the threshold is met. For a fortnightly tenancy the same thirteen-weeks figure applies – six and a half fortnights’ rent.

What happens after the threshold is met

Meeting the threshold does not end a tenancy by itself. The landlord must serve a valid Section 8 notice specifying the arrears grounds, wait out the four-week notice period, and then apply to the court for a possession order. The tenant can reduce the arrears below the threshold at any time up to the hearing to defeat Ground 8, can raise the universal credit carve-out, and can point to any failure in how the notice was served. For that reason, accurate arrears records and a correctly completed notice matter as much as the figure itself.

Landlords dealing with the wider tenancy may also need our Section 13 rent increase date calculator when putting the rent up, or the tenant notice to quit date calculator when a tenant is leaving. If you have served a rent increase, it is worth checking it against what makes a Section 13 notice invalid.

For tenants: if you have received a notice, getting the arrears below the three-months / thirteen-weeks threshold before the hearing removes the landlord’s mandatory ground – though the discretionary grounds may remain. Free help is available from Citizens Advice and Shelter, and you should get advice quickly rather than wait for the hearing.

Frequently asked questions

How much rent arrears is needed for a Ground 8 eviction in 2026?

For a mandatory Ground 8 eviction, the tenant must owe at least three months’ rent on a monthly tenancy, or thirteen weeks’ rent on a weekly or fortnightly tenancy, both when the notice is served and at the hearing. This is higher than the old two months / eight weeks threshold.

Does the arrears threshold have to be met at the hearing too?

Yes. The arrears must be at or above the threshold both when the notice is served and again at the possession hearing. If the tenant pays the arrears down below the threshold before the hearing, the landlord can no longer rely on mandatory Ground 8 – this is the most common reason a claim fails.

What is the notice period for a Ground 8 rent arrears notice?

Four weeks. This is the minimum notice period for the mandatory rent arrears ground under the Renters’ Rights Act, and the court cannot shorten it. After the four weeks expire the landlord can apply to the court for a possession order, but the arrears must still meet the threshold at that hearing.

Are universal credit arrears counted?

No. Any arrears that are unpaid only because a universal credit housing payment the tenant is entitled to has not yet come through are ignored when working out whether the Ground 8 threshold is met. Other genuine arrears still count, so the carve-out only removes the delayed benefit element.

Is this checker legal advice?

No. This checker simply compares the figures you enter against the mandatory Ground 8 threshold and is general guidance only, not legal advice. Possession is a serious legal step, so both landlords and tenants should take advice on their own specific circumstances from Citizens Advice, Shelter or a solicitor.

About this page. Written and maintained by James, founder of TenancyTools.uk, who runs a UK property management business working with landlords, resident management companies and tenants day to day. Every rule on this page is checked against the legislation and current GOV.UK guidance, and the page is reviewed whenever the rules change. See our editorial policy.

Disclaimer: TenancyTools.uk provides general guidance and calculation tools, not legal advice. The Ground 8 rules described on this page apply to assured tenancies in England under the Housing Act 1988 as amended by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Different rules apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Possession requires a valid notice and a court order; the arrears figure is only one part of a claim. Verify the current thresholds, forms and procedure on GOV.UK and take professional advice before serving a notice or responding to one.