Evictions and landlord responsibilities

In the UK, landlords can legally evict tenants under specific circumstances and must follow proper legal procedures. 

The most common legal grounds for eviction are:

No fault evictions

• End of fixed-term tenancy - the tenancy period has expired, and the landlord does not wish to renew the contract.
• Landlord wants to sell the property - the landlord intends to sell the property and needs it vacant to do so.
• Landlord or family needs to move in - the landlord or a close family member intends to live in the property.
• Use of property for business or personal reasons - the landlord needs the property back for business purposes (e.g., converting to commercial use).
• Mortgage repossession - the property is being repossessed by the lender because the landlord has defaulted on their mortgage.

Breach of tenancy evictions

• Rent arrears - the tenant has failed to pay rent, often for a specified period (e.g., two months).
• Breach of tenancy agreement - the tenant has violated the terms of the tenancy agreement, such as subletting without permission or causing property damage.
• Anti-social or criminal behaviour - the tenant has been involved in anti-social or illegal activities on the property.
• Property damage or neglect - the tenant has caused significant damage or neglected the property, resulting in disrepair.

Before you decide to evict your tenant(s) we would recommend you first carefully assess the situation.

Think carefully about whether the eviction is truly necessary, or whether mediation could resolve the issue - speak with your tenant to understand their circumstances and discuss alternatives.

We also recommend that you seek advice first, and that you encourage your tenant to seek support. 

Housing charities like Shelter can support your tenant.

You can also encourage your tenant to reach out to our tenancy sustainment team, who can work with them to look at ways they can avoid losing their tenancy - from going through their tenant's responsibilities, looking at additional support and more.