I'm being evicted

It is illegal for a landlord to evict you without following the correct legal steps and you don’t have to leave when they first give you notice. You can also challenge an eviction that isn’t valid. It’s your right to do so. 

This page focuses on eviction when you have a tenancy or you’re a licensee of your home. If you’re at risk of homelessness for other reasons, such as family asking you to leave or leaving care, find out your options.

You can also contact the Centrepoint Helpline for more advice and support.

Skip to the right section

What is an eviction?

Does a landlord have to give a reason for eviction?

What should I do if I’ve been served an eviction notice?

How can I challenge an eviction?

What happens if the court decides to evict me?

When is an eviction unlawful and what should I do if I’m evicted unlawfully?

Will the council rehouse me if I get evicted?

What support is there if I’m being evicted?

What is an eviction?

An eviction is the legal process where a landlord requires a tenant to leave a property.

Usually this is because the tenancy has ended, or the tenant is alleged to have broken the terms of their tenancy agreement – for example, by not paying rent, or anti-social behaviour.

When a landlord gives you an eviction notice, it should state a date to leave by. In most cases, if you have an Assured Tenancy and you’re unable or unwilling to leave the property by that date, the landlord will need to go to court to ask for a claim for possession.

Sometimes a landlord doesn’t need to apply to court for the eviction. This could be the case if you’re living somewhere such as emergency accommodation provided by your Local Authority, or you’re a lodger in someone’s home. 

This is because you're classed as an 'excluded occupier' and are exempt from the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. If you think you might be an excluded occupier at risk of eviction, get more advice on Shelter’s website or contact the Centrepoint Helpline.

Does a landlord have to give a reason for eviction?

Depending on what type of tenant you are, the landlord may or may not need to give you a reason or ‘ground’ to evict you. Your tenancy may also determine how much notice the landlord is required to give you before the eviction.

If you’re not sure what type of tenancy you have, check your tenancy agreement or use Shelter’s Tenancy Checker tool.

I’m a private renter with an assured tenancy

From 1 May 2026, new legislation has been introduced in England known as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. This Act has introduced changes to private renting designed to protect tenants.

One of these changes is that a private landlord can no longer let properties on Assured Shorthold or fixed term tenancies. If you were previously on one of these types of tenancies, this has changed automatically to an Assured Periodic Tenancy on 1 May 2026.

This means that a private landlord can no longer serve you a Section 21, or ‘no fault’ eviction notice. Instead, they would need to give you a Section 8 ‘Notice of Seeking Possession’, with clear reasons or ‘grounds’ from Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988.

If you’re an assured tenant and your landlord has followed the correct eviction processes, your landlord has to show a valid reason, or ‘ground’, for evicting you, for example:

• Ground 1 - Your landlord or their family member wants to move into the property
• Grounds 8, 10 and 11 – you are in rent arrears
• Ground 13 – you have damaged the property (tenant waste).
• Ground 14 – you have displayed anti-social behaviour

Each ground may have a specific notice period the landlord is required to provide to you.

See the full list of grounds for eviction and notice periods under the Housing Act 1988. 

I’m a social housing tenant with an assured shorthold tenancy

The changes brought in by the Renters Rights Act 2025 will not come into force for social housing assured tenancies until a later date, which is currently unknown but expected to be in 2027. Until that date, housing associations can still use Assured Shorthold Tenancies and also fixed terms.

Your landlord does not have to provide any reasons or grounds to evict you if you’re a social housing tenant with an Assured Shorthold Tenancy. They can serve a Section 21 notice, also known as a ‘no fault’ notice, to start the eviction process.

Social housing landlords will still normally explain why they are serving an eviction notice. You may be given the opportunity to provide any exceptional circumstances that you consider they should be aware of before they issue any possession claim against you.

I’m a Council tenant with a secure or flexible tenancy

If you are secure or flexible tenant of a Council, then the Council can evict you with a reason, or ‘ground’, from Schedule 1 of the Housing Act 1985, for example:

• Ground 1 – rent lawfully due from the tenant has not been paid or an obligation of the tenancy has been broken or not performed.
• Ground 2 – anti-social behaviour
• Ground 3 – damage to the property by the tenant (tenant waste)

Succession rights

If you are living in council housing and your parent or guardian has died, you may have the right to stay in your home. Check your tenancy to see what it says about ‘succession’. If you have the right to succession, the tenancy may have passed to you automatically, or the landlord may have the discretion to grant you a tenancy. You should seek advice by calling the Centrepoint helpline, Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), a law centre or firm of solicitors.

I’m a licensee

If you are a licensee, then your licensor does not need to give reasons but can end the licence by serving a Notice to Quit, issuing a possession claim and obtaining a possession order against you.  

If the licence is excluded from the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 then your landlord can take back possession without applying to Court.

Contact the Centrepoint Helpline for more advice on what to do if you’re being evicted.

What to do if you’ve been served an eviction notice

1. Speak with your landlord

Your landlord may have already been in touch with you about concerns such as rent arrears – it’s best to engage with them and, if possible, work with them to create a plan to resolve the issue.

2. Check that the eviction notice and process followed is valid for your type of tenancy or licence

If you are occupying under a secure or assured tenancy this will need to be in the relevant prescribed form. 

If you are occupying under a protected licence or contractual tenancy, this will need to be a Notice to Quit with the prescribed information contained with it. 

If you are occupying under an excluded licence then potentially your landlord can ask you to leave straight away and take back possession by changing the locks. 

3. Use the notice period to plan the next steps

In most cases, you don’t need to leave your home straight away. If you do leave straight away, the council may not be able to give you appropriate support - they may say you’re ‘intentionally homeless’.

Take this time to get legal advice, challenge the decision if possible, make a homeless application with the council and try to find somewhere else to live.

4.  Stay in your home

It is best to stay where you are until you have somewhere else to live, even if you are still in the property on the date that the landlord wants you out. 

You can call the Centrepoint helpline, seek assistance from the Citizens Advice Bureau, a law centre or a firm of solicitors.   

If you're still living in the property on the date the landlord wants you to leave, they will have to issue a possession claim in the county court to start the eviction process.

How can I challenge an eviction?

You may have defences against the eviction if the type of notice or way it was served was not followed correctly for your type of tenancy or licence. In the case of rent arrears, it may be possible to have the claim adjourned if you agree and stick to a payment plan with the landlord.

Defending the possession claim is likely to be time-consuming and expensive. It may also make the relationship with your landlord difficult if you do stay in the property. You might decide you would prefer to look for more suitable accommodation instead.

Shelter’s website contains useful information about challenging a notice or you can contact the Centrepoint Helpline.

What happens if the court decides to evict me?

If the court decides to evict you, they will make a possession order which will give you the date for when you need to leave the property. It will also confirm if a costs order has been made against you to pay for the landlord’s legal costs. The date on the possession order is the date you are expected to leave your home by.

If you’re unable to leave your home by this date, the landlord can then ask court bailiffs to evict you. The bailiffs must give you at least two weeks’ notice of the eviction date.

It’s still possible to apply to suspend the date of eviction in some circumstances. You need to fill in a court application form called N244. Seek legal advice and return this as soon as possible. You should seek advice and support from a law centre, Citizens Advice Bureau or firm of solicitors. You may also find some advice on Shelter’s website.

When is an eviction unlawful and what should I do if I’m evicted unlawfully?

Only the court bailiffs can evict you from your home. They can change your locks on the eviction day.

If your landlord attempts to move you out without having obtained a possession order and you are occupying under anything other than an excluded licence, then you should report this to your local Council. If they investigate and find that you have been unlawfully evicted, then your landlord may be fined in lieu of prosecution.

Will the council rehouse me if I get evicted?

If you have been evicted and are homeless and unable to secure another place to live, the council may have a duty to help you find somewhere else to live. To access this help, you need to make a homeless application at your local council. Read more about making a homeless application.

You may be deemed 'intentionally homeless' if you leave your property before the end of your notice period and have nowhere else to go.

What support is there if I’m being evicted?

It’s a good idea to get some legal advice if you have an eviction notice. 

• Contact the Centrepoint Helpline who can connect you with local services. 
• If you’re living in Centrepoint accommodation, you may be able to get free support through our legal centre. Ask your key worker for more information. 

You can also contact:

Civil Legal Advice

Call: 0345 345 345
Visit their government information page at Civil Legal Advice

Shelter

Visit Shelter's website for housing and homelessness advice
Find your local Shelter service
If you need urgent advice call: 0808 800 4444 (8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays)

Citizen's Advice

Call: 0800 144 8848
Visit Citizen's Advice website

Law Centres

Get in touch with a Law Centre.
Find your nearest Law Centre on their website.

Local Council

Ask to speak to the private lettings team at your local council.