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Civil Dispute Involving Landlords or Tenants
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.
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.
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.