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Facing eviction for rent arrears?

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Eviction. What to do if you receive an eviction notice

Landlords can evict you if you do not pay rent arrears. They can also evict you for other things like antisocial behaviour.

UK-wide

If you have received an eviction notice, the most important thing is to act quickly. Do not ignore it. Speak to your landlord and try to come to an arrangement. You do not have to leave straight away.

On 1 May 2026, the rules on ‘no fault’ evictions changed. Please read our guide to rent arrears to find out more about your rights.

When you receive an eviction notice, it usually means you have rent arrears of three months or more. This we know can be very worrying. This guide is designed to help you take the right action if you are facing eviction.

On this page

  1. I have received an eviction notice
  2. I am behind on my rent and worry my landlord might evict me
  3. I am being evicted and rent through a local council or housing association
  4. Can I stop my landlord evicting me?
  5. What if I am asked to go to court?
  6. Further support

I have received an eviction notice

We understand it can be frightening. Do not panic. You do not have to leave your home straight away.

Read through the notice carefully so you understand what is happening and can deal with things in the best way.

Money worries?

Find out how we can help you.

Get help now

 

Checking your eviction notice


  • Look for important dates: These include the date the notice was issued and the date you must leave the property
  • Check the notice is valid, and that it gives a valid reason for eviction
  • Speak to your landlord and ask them to agree to you paying what you owe at a rate you can afford, if this is why you are being evicted
  • If you rent through the council or a housing association, contact them. They should provide extra support if you are at risk of being made homeless
  • It is also helpful to check your tenancy agreement for situations where you can be evicted
  • You can speak to our friends at Shelter if you are being made homeless

The rules about evictions from private rentals depend on where you live


England

  • You will receive a Section 8 notice of eviction if your landlord wants to take back the property. This is called "seeking possession"
  • The notice will explain why your landlord is asking for possession. These reasons are called "grounds"
  • Ground 8 is one of the reasons a landlord can use. It applies when you have rent arrears of three months or more
  • If your landlord uses Ground 8, they will usually have to give you at least 4 weeks' notice to leave, before they can apply to the court for a possession order
  • This could be extended to 6 weeks if there are exceptional circumstances
  • This notice will say why your landlord wants to evict you and when they can apply to court

Wales

  • You will receive a written notice of eviction
  • This will be followed by a possession order issued by the court, and if necessary, bailiff action

Scotland

  • You will get a ‘notice to leave’ listing the reasons why you have to leave and how long you have to move out
  • The notice period depends on how long you have lived there. It will either be 28 days or 84 days

Northern Ireland

  • You will receive a ‘notice to quit’ followed by a court order. Your notice period depends on how long you have lived there, ranging from 8 weeks to 7 months
  • If you are in a social tenancy, you will receive a ‘notice seeking possession.’ This gives you 28 days to leave the property before court action

I am behind on my rent and worry my landlord might evict me

Speak to your landlord or housing provider immediately.

It is important that you:


  • Make a budget and work out how much you might be able to repay
  • Try to come to a payment arrangement with them
  • Keep making regular payments

Worried about rent arrears and other bills? We can help. Get started with debt advice online.

Extra money to help with rent arrears

If you receive the Housing Benefit part of Universal Credit, you might be able to get a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP). This is extra money from your local council to help towards housing costs.

To apply for DHP, visit Gov.UK to find your local council and request a DHP claim form.

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You might be able to get benefits to help pay your rent. Find out what you can claim using our online benefits calculator

What if my landlord has not followed the right steps to evict me?

It is important to check that your landlord has followed the right legal steps. If they did not, you may be able to challenge the eviction. They should have:


  • Sent a valid eviction notice
  • Applied to the court for a ‘possession order’, if you have not left by the date on the eviction notice
  • Applied to the court for a ‘warrant of possession’, if you have not left by the date on the possession order

Keep copies of all letters, notices and tenancy agreements.

I am being evicted and rent through a local council or housing association

You have stronger rights than someone renting privately.

You can only be evicted if your provider has tried other options such as extra support.

This includes:


  • Helping you apply for housing benefit, and
  • Helping you get free debt advice from an organisation like us

If you are being evicted by a local council or housing association, then it will only be because:


  • You owe more than three months rent
  • You have been accused of antisocial behaviour
  • You break your tenancy agreement

Can I stop my landlord evicting me?

If you are behind on rent, the best way to stop being evicted is to get your landlord to agree to a new arrangement to pay what you owe.


  • Share your budget which shows what you can and cannot afford to pay
  • Make an offer of payment
  • Try to repay as much as you can
  • Make regular payments. You must keep to the new arrangement

We can help you with this if you come to us for debt advice.

What if I am asked to go to court?

If you have not left the property by the date on the eviction notice, your landlord can start court action.


  • You will usually receive court forms, letting you know about a hearing date at your local court
  • It is important you attend this hearing so that you know if you will be able to stay in the property or if you have to leave
  • The court will usually give you a date by which you have to leave
  • If you do not leave the property by the date given by the court, the court may send bailiffs to forcibly remove you from the property

You can read more about the eviction process by visiting our friends at Shelter. They can help you prepare for this happening and explain what to expect.

 

Further support

Housing advice can be complex. It is best to talk to someone who specialises in the area.


  • England or Scotland: Contact Shelter. They have a telephone helpline and a website full of useful information.
  • Wales: Contact Shelter Cymru.
  • Northern Ireland: Contact Shelter NI for help with rent arrears or eviction.
  • Local support: Contact your local authority if you are at risk of homelessness because of eviction. Their housing department can advise you on applying for social housing or emergency accommodation.

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