EVICTING A TENANT

ASSUMING you have an assured shorthold tenancy in place, landlords must follow procedures set out in the Housing Act 1988 to evict a tenant. You can issue a section 21 notice if you want the property back after a fixed term ends, or a section 8 notice if the tenant has broken the terms of the tenancy.

In either case, if the tenant does not leave when requested, you will need a possession order from a court to regain possession of the property.

Saida Bello, housing lawyer at national firm Setfords Solicitors, says: ‘There are strict procedural rules to follow when seeking to evict a tenant. The court takes a dim view of any action that could be considered as harassment and it is a criminal offence to evict a tenant without the right court order.’