Civil Dispute Involving Landlords or Tenants
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Evictions
Advice for landlords and tenants about evictions
Landlords must follow strict procedures if they want a tenant to leave their property. You can find out more about council and housing evictions or private renting evictions.
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Repairs and rent
Advice for tenants and landlords about withholding rent due to outstanding repairs
Tenants do not have the right to withhold rent because a landlord has failed to do repairs. If a tenant withholds rent a landlord may start possession proceedings against them and increase the risk of eviction. Find out more information and advice.
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Squatting
Information for property owners and squatters
Squatting is when someone deliberately enters property without permission and lives there, or intends to live there. Anyone who originally enters a property with the permission of the landlord is not a squatter.
You can remove squatters using an interim possession order (IPO) or making a claim for possession. Don’t try to remove the squatters yourself using force or the threat of force - you’re committing a crime if you do.
Find out more about the law on squatting.
Useful Links
- Visit the Citizens Website. They are a network of charities that give free and confidential information to everyone in the UK.
- You can also get housing advice from Shelter.
- Read more about the support available for squatters.
- Find out more advice if you are a tenant and your landlord is refusing to carry out repairs.
- Visit this page to read more about withholding rent because a property is in disrepair
- Find out more information about private renting.
- If you want to know the most effective way to remove squatters please read this guidance.
- If you are a squatter and want to know more about your rights please visit this page.
- If you think someone is squatting in a council owned property please report this directly to your local council.