For landlords
Problems with a tenant: help for landlords
In short: Keep everything in writing and keep a record of every message, payment and visit. Arrears, damage and access each have their own steps, and ending a tenancy needs a ground, the right notice on Form 3A and a court order. Never change the locks or cut off services: that is illegal eviction, a crime.
What to do, step by step
1
Talk, then write
Many problems end with a call and a letter. Note what was said and when, and confirm it in writing.
2
Rent arrears
Keep a clear rent record. A payment plan agreed in writing is often quickest. Ground 8 needs at least three months' rent owed both when you serve notice and at the hearing.
3
Damage or access
Give at least 24 hours' written notice to visit, at a reasonable time, except in an emergency. Damage beyond fair wear and tear is claimed from the deposit through its scheme at the end.
4
Getting the home back
Only on a ground in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988, with its notice period on Form 3A, then the court. For possession or a dispute, talk to a solicitor or a housing adviser.
For a court case, a notice you have been given or a dispute, talk to a housing adviser or a solicitor.
The detail, in our guides
- Getting your property back after section 21Without section 21, possession in England depends on the grounds in Schedule 2. The main ones a self-managing landlord uses, the notice periods, and why LevelMoves hands this to a human.
- Harassment and illegal eviction: the rules, the fines and compensationOnly a court can end a tenancy against the tenant's wishes. Changing the locks, cutting off the power or pressuring a tenant to leave is a crime. What counts, the penalties, and the compensation a tenant can claim.
- Rent guarantee insurance: what it covers and when it is worth itRent guarantee insurance pays the rent when a tenant falls behind, often with legal costs for getting the home back. It is optional. What policies usually ask for, and what to check under the new rules.
- Deposits: the cap, the 30 days and the prescribed informationA tenancy deposit in England is capped at five weeks' rent (six weeks when the annual rent is £50,000 or more), must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it, and the tenant must get the prescribed information in the same 30 days. Miss that and a court must order you to pay one to three times the deposit.
- The assured periodic tenancy explainedEvery private tenancy in England is now an assured periodic tenancy. What that is, how it starts, how it ends, and what your agreement can and cannot say.
- How to raise the rent (once a year, section 13)In England you can raise the rent once every twelve months, by a section 13 notice on the prescribed form with two months' notice. Here is the procedure and what the tenant can do about it.
Questions people ask
Can I evict a tenant for rent arrears?
Ground 8 is mandatory when at least three months' rent (13 weeks if paid weekly or fortnightly) is owed both when you serve notice and at the hearing, with four weeks' notice. Other arrears grounds are for the court to decide.
Can I go into the home without the tenant's permission?
Only in an emergency. Otherwise give at least 24 hours' written notice for an inspection or a repair, at a reasonable time. Going in without that can be harassment.
The tenant has stopped answering. What can I do?
Keep writing to the tenant at the home and by email, and keep copies. Do not change the locks or remove belongings even if the home looks empty: unless the tenant gave it up, that can be illegal eviction. Get advice before you act.
Official sources
- GOV.UK: Guide to the Renters' Rights Act
- Housing Act 1988, schedule 2: grounds for possession
- GOV.UK: Harassment and illegal evictions
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 11
England only. General guidance, not legal advice. Checked 10 November 2026.