If your landlord wants you out, there is a legal process they must follow, and you do not have to leave until a court orders it. Here is each step and where to get free help.
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Direct answer
A landlord cannot just tell you to leave. To evict you legally they must follow set steps: a written notice, then a court order, then court bailiffs. Until a court has ordered it and bailiffs have carried it out, you have not been evicted, and you should not leave on your own. Get free advice early from Shelter (0808 800 4444) or your council's housing options team. If your home is in disrepair, that is something we can help with, call us free on 0800 030 4669.
The steps a landlord must follow
- A written notice. Since 1 May 2026, this is a Section 8 notice with a legal ground (Section 21 "no-fault" notices are banned). See Section 8 eviction explained.
- A court claim. If you have not left when the notice runs out, the landlord must apply to the court. There must be a hearing where a judge checks the evidence.
- A possession order. If the court agrees, it sets a date to leave.
- Bailiffs. Only court-appointed bailiffs can remove you, and only after the order. A landlord changing the locks or removing your things themselves is illegal eviction.
What to do at each stage
- As soon as you get any notice or threat: get it in writing, keep it, and call Shelter on 0808 800 4444.
- Do not move out early. Leaving before a court orders it can affect the help your council must give you.
- Tell your council's housing options team. If you are at risk of homelessness, they may have a legal duty to help. See homeless or being evicted, what to do.
- If you are being harassed or locked out, that is a criminal offence. Contact the council's tenancy relations officer and the police.
Where we fit in
Support for Tenants helps with housing disrepair claims, not eviction defence, so for the eviction itself, Shelter, Citizens Advice, and your council are the right help. But complaining about repairs or making a disrepair claim cannot lawfully be used to evict you. If your landlord has ignored damp, mould, leaks, or broken heating, you may have a claim. Call us free on 0800 030 4669, send the short form, or message us on WhatsApp. See also where to get other housing help.
Sources
- Private renting: evictions (GOV.UK)
- Housing Act 1988 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11 (legislation.gov.uk)
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 24 May 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.
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Still stuck?
Call us free or start a claim online. We'll tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.