Procedures for evicting private tenants

You must follow procedures if you want your tenant to leave your property. If you do not follow these procedures you may be guilty of illegally evicting or harassing your tenant.

Evicting tenants in England

Landlords can find information on tenant eviction on GOV.UK. 

Illegal evictions

You may be guilty of illegal eviction if you:

• do not give the tenant notice to leave the property
• change the locks
• evict without a court order

Even if your property is repossessed by a mortgage lender, the lender must give your tenants notice so they can find other accommodation.

Harassment

Harassment can be anything a landlord does, or fails to do, that makes a tenant feel unsafe in the property. 

This can include:

• threatening to change the locks
• opening or withholding post
• entering a tenant's home without permission
• removing or interfering with a tenant's belongings
• violent or intimidating language or behaviour
• cutting off gas, water or electricity
• demands for money that your tenant doesn't owe or can't pay
• pressure to move out before a tenancy ends legally

Disputes with tenants

If disputes with tenants arise, landlords can find assistance from the following places:

Sector bodies

• Guild of Residential Landlords
• London Landlord Accreditation Scheme
• National Residential Landlord Association
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
• iHowz (formerly the Southern Landlords Association)

Help and advice

• Citizens Advice
• Your local Trading Standards office
• The Law Society
• Lets with Pets (for advice on renting to pet owners)
• Money Helper

If physical violence is involved, contact the police