Housing Act 1988

7 Orders for possession. E+W

(1) The court shall not make an order for possession of a dwelling-house let on an assured tenancy except on one or more of the grounds set out in Schedule 2 to this Act; but nothing in this Part of this Act relates to proceedings for possession of such a dwelling-house which are brought by a mortgagee, within the meaning of the M1 Law of Property Act 1925, who has lent money on the security of the assured tenancy.

(2) The following provisions of this section have effect, subject to section 8 below, in relation to proceedings for the recovery of possession of a dwelling-house let on an assured tenancy.

(3) If the court is satisfied that any of the grounds in Part I of Schedule 2 to this Act is established then, subject to [F1 subsections (5A) and (6)] below [F2 (and to any available defence based on the tenant's Convention rights, within the meaning of the Human Rights Act 1998)], the court shall make an order for possession.

(4) If the court is satisfied that any of the grounds in Part II of Schedule 2 to this Act is established, then, subject to [F3 subsections (5A) and (6)] below, the court may make an order for possession if it considers it reasonable to do so.

(5) Part III of Schedule 2 to this Act shall have effect for supplementing Ground 9 in that Schedule and Part IV of that Schedule shall have effect in relation to notices given as mentioned in Grounds 1 to 5 of that Schedule.

[F4 (5A) The court shall not make an order for possession of a dwellinghouse let on an assured periodic tenancy arising under Schedule 10 to the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 on any of the following grounds, that is to say,—

(a) Grounds 1, 2 [F5 , 5 and 7A] in Part I of Schedule 2 to this Act;

(b) Ground 16 in Part II of that Schedule; and

(c) if the assured periodic tenancy arose on the termination of a former 1954 Act tenancy, within the meaning of the said Schedule 10, Ground 6 in Part I of Schedule 2 to this Act.]

(6) The court shall not make an order for possession of a dwelling-house to take effect at a time when it is let on an assured fixed term tenancy unless—

(a) the ground for possession is Ground 2[F6 , Ground 7A] or Ground 8 in Part I of Schedule 2 to this Act or any of the grounds in Part II of that Schedule, other than Ground 9 or Ground 16; and

(b) the terms of the tenancy make provision for it to be brought to an end on the ground in question (whether that provision takes the form of a provision for re-entry, for forfeiture, for determination by notice or otherwise).

[F7 (6A) In the case of a dwelling-house in England, subsection (6)(a) has effect as if it also referred to Ground 7 in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to this Act.]

(7) Subject to the preceding provisions of this section, the court may make an order for possession of a dwelling-house on grounds relating to a fixed term tenancy which has come to an end; and where an order is made in such circumstances, any statutory periodic tenancy which has arisen on the ending of the fixed term tenancy shall end (without any notice and regardless of the period) [F8 in accordance with section 5(1A)].

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42, SIF 75:1), s. 194, Sch. 11 para. 101

F2 Words in s. 7(3) inserted (20.10.2014 for E., 21.10.2014 for W.) by Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (c. 12), s. 185(1)(2)(c)(3)(c), Sch. 11 para. 18(2) (with ss. 21, 33, 42, 58, 75, 93); S.I. 2014/2590, art. 2(h); S.I. 2014/2830, art. 2(g)(x)

F3 Words substituted by Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42, SIF 75:1), s. 194, Sch. 11 para. 101(2)

F4 S. 7(5A) inserted by Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42, SIF 75:1), s. 194, Sch. 11 para. 101(3)

F5 Words in s. 7(5A)(a) substituted (20.10.2014 for E., 21.10.2014 for W.) by Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (c. 12), s. 185(1)(2)(c)(3)(c), Sch. 11 para. 18(3) (with ss. 21, 33, 42, 58, 75, 93); S.I. 2014/2590, art. 2(h); S.I. 2014/2830, art. 2(g)(x)

F6 Words in s. 7(6)(a) inserted (20.10.2014 for E., 21.10.2014 for W.) by Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (c. 12), s. 185(1)(2)(c)(3)(c), Sch. 11 para. 18(4) (with ss. 21, 33, 42, 58, 75, 93); S.I. 2014/2590, art. 2(h); S.I. 2014/2830, art. 2(g)(x)

F7 S. 7(6A) inserted (1.4.2012) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), ss. 162(4), 240(2); S.I. 2012/628, art. 6(b) (with arts. 9 11 14 15 17)

F8 Words in s. 7(7) substituted (20.5.2009) by Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (c. 17), ss. 299, 325, Sch. 11 para. 7 (with Sch. 11 para. 14); S.I. 2009/1261, {arts. 2, 3}

Marginal Citations

M1 1925 c. 20.