How to evict tenants - Full Guide - Landlord Solicitors Advice

Garner & Hancock can provide you with clear advice and options to get the quickest and most cost effective way to evict your tenants.

Below is a guide to the choices available to evict you tenants. S8 or S21?

Shorthold Tenancy Agreements

Two Routes for Recovering Possession

s.21 –‘Accelerated possession’	s.8 – possession proceedings
The landlord can claim for possession only[1]. The fixed term tenancy has come to an end and no new tenancy has begun.	The landlord can claim for both rent arrears and possessionThe tenant needs to be in 2 months rent arrears

Give at least two months notice to the tenant in accordance with s.21 Housing Act 1988 that the landlord requires possession.	Give tenant 2 weeks’ notice to pay outstanding sums for rent.
Take court proceedings. Sometimes the court gives possession without a hearing. A defence by a tenant is limited to technical and legal issues.	Take Court Proceedings. There will always be a hearing. You are also at risk to a defence being filed from the tenant about a counter claim or set off.

What are the tips and traps of evicting tenants?

Improperly drafted s.21 or s.8 notice causes the most defect in possession proceedings
Improper service and/or proof of service for s.21 and s.8 notice. Usually needs to be delivered by hand and subsequently confirmed by an affidavit of service.
Non-compliance with tenancy deposit scheme rules (please note: The tenancy deposit scheme MUST be complied with before issuing a s.21 notice, else the court may strike out the claim). This is the biggest issue for most tenants

Can I recover costs in possession proceedings?

Recoverable legal costs fixed by court at a maximum of £292.50[2], but clients will incur hundreds of pounds more in legal fees in attempting to regain possession.

The secret to claiming estate agents administrative costs in possession claims

In Patel –v- Lang et al (2010, unreported) at Brentford County Court before District Judge Plaskow, Garner & Hancock represented a successful claimant in pursuing the administrative costs in the sum of £564 on behalf of her estate agents together with rental arrears, legal costs and a possession order.

How is this done?

Have a provision within the assured shorthold tenancy agreement making the tenant liable for charges in relation to the administrative costs in pursuing for late payments of rent.
Make the administrative fee sound reasonable i.e no more than £50 per letter.
If the landlord may be liable for these costs, the court will want to prevent harm and further costs being levied against such landlords due to the fault of the tenants.
DO NOT refer to it as a penalty or late payment clause. i.e ‘if payment of rent is late by more than 5 days, a sum of £250 will be levied against the tenant’

Ultimately many factors will be taken into account including but not limited to reasonableness, notice, whether the landlord themselves would be liable for the administrative costs should the tenants fail to pay. On the day the judge may well decide not to award administrative costs at all, therefore it is no guarantee you will recover administrative costs even if you follow the advice above.

However, properly formulated and represented you will increase the likelihood of such costs being recoverable.

[1] Please note you can still recover outstanding rent arrears through a separate claim.

[2] See Civil Procedure Rules 45(2)(d), 45.2(1)(b) & (2), 45.4A(1)(b)

GARNER & HANCOCK – PROPERTY SERVICE

Please contact Daniel Flynn on 020 8232 9560. We can give free telephone advice.

Free Consultation

If you would like some help or advice, then please feel free to call to arrange a conversation on 0208 232 9560, or drop us a note using the form below and we can book you a call with a solicitor.

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