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What if my landlord wants to evict me?

Landlords have to follow the proper legal procedure if they want you to leave - they can't just change the locks when you are out. This is true whether you rent from the council, a housing association, or a private landlord.

What if my landlord wants to evict me?

It is usually illegal for your landlord to evict you without giving you notice and getting a court order. The type of notice and the period of notice will depend on the type of tenancy you have. And in a few situations the landlord only has to give you notice to leave.

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When does my landlord only have to give me notice to leave?

Your landlord may only have to give you 'reasonable notice' to leave (which could be just a few days or less) if you:

  • live in a hostel that is run by the council or a housing association
  • live in holiday accommodation
  • share living space with your landlord, or with a member of their family where your landlord lives in the same house or flat
  • live in accommodation provided to you as an asylum seeker
  • live in accommodation that you do not pay any rent for, or
  • are in temporary accommodation provided by the council while you are waiting for a decision on your homelessness application.

If you are facing eviction for any reason, you should get specialist help straight away. You may be able to stop the eviction, or delay it until you can sort matters out or find somewhere else to live. This is true even if bailiffs are on the way. The rules are very complicated so you will need expert help immediately.

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