Lawyers Who Specialise in Legal Advice for Landlords and Property Investors Nationwide 
As a landlord, you want to make a return on your investment, protect your property and manage your tenancies efficiently. When difficulties arise, you need legal specialists who will take quick action to resolve them. Our private landlord solicitors have experience in all areas of landlord and tenant law. They are able to deal promptly and effectively with problem tenants and other rental issues.
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2025 update
The Labour government’s plans to reform the rental market includes a proposed ban on Section 21 “no-fault” evictions.
The Renters’ Rights Bill is the most extensive reform to the private rented sector in the UK since 1988. The bill expected to become law in 2025, possibly as early as Easter.
Among the other key changes being proposed are the following
· Fixed-term tenancies are to be replaced by periodic tenancies
· Rent increases will be limited to just once per year and, what’s more, landlords will need to give two months’ advance notice. Additionally, there will be in future a limit to the rent in advance landlords will be able to request
· The creation of a national registration system for all Landlords
· The bill creates Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman
How our solicitors help the Private Landlord
The team offer a full range of landlord and tenant legal services, including:
· Advice on compliance, including tenancy agreements and deposit agreements
· Applications for possession orders and applications to enforce possession orders
· Defending disrepair claims
· Defending unlawful eviction claims
· Enforcing covenants in tenancy agreements
· Eviction using section 8 of the Housing Act (breach of tenancy)
· Eviction using section 21 of the Housing Act
· Rent arrears debt collection
It is often the case that asking experienced private landlord solicitors to represent you as soon as a problem arises will prevent matters from escalating. We can try to find a solution before the tenant’s position becomes entrenched.
And with the new restrictions on landlords introduced by the Renters’ Rights Bill, we believe will be more important than ever for landlords to take specialist legal advice. The removal of relatively easy Section 21 “no-fault” evictions will make evictions much harder to prove for landlords for example.
This page deals with our services for landlords with residential property.
Click here to find out more about how our Business Lease Solicitors can help you
Our specialist expertise representing private landlords
Whether you’re just starting off with a single buy to let, or with you have a portfolio of residential or commercial property, there are going to be times when you have problems with tenants. And that’s where our specialist landlord solicitors come in – with practical, cost-effective and commercial advice tailored to suit your individual circumstances.
Our team has the expertise you need with practical, cost-effective and commercial legal advice.
1.We have a specialist property investor team – including 2 lawyers who do nothing but property dispute, many of which are on behalf of private landlords.
2. We have been formally approved by Progressive Property – the country’s leading property education business- since 2019
3. We are the only Landlord Lawyers recommended by the Buy to Let Property Group. 
Advice on compliance, including tenancy agreements and deposit agreements
It is essential for you to comply with legal requirements when leasing property to tenants. Failure to do this can mean that you lose the right to evict a tenant on a no-fault basis or you could expose yourself to liability and potential claims. Putting a solid legal foundation in place for your tenants also reduces the risk of misunderstandings and disputes.
We advise private landlords on the correct process to follow when setting up a tenancy. This includes drafting watertight leases and deposit agreements and ensuring that you provide the tenant with the documentation they are entitled to have.
Defending disrepair claims
Disrepair claims are a common problem and can result in expensive claims if not handled effectively. As a private landlord, you need to keep the property in good condition. This includes maintaining and repairing the following:
· The roof, walls and ceilings
· Windows and doors
· Bathroom and kitchen fittings, such as sinks, toilets, showers and baths
· The heating and hot water system
· Pipes, wires and other infrastructure
· Ensuring appliances are safe and receive regular servicing
If problems arise that mean the property is not fit for purpose, such as problems with the water supply or drainage or there is damp or mould that could pose a health and safety risk, you need to remedy them. don’t ignore these issues – failing to maintain your property can prove really expensive both in terms of increased repair costs and the risk of a disrepair claim.
You should keep records of when the tenant notified you of problems and when you took steps to deal with them. This is important if we need to defend how you have dealt with repairs. Your contractors should provide written confirmation that they have remedied any defects and give you details of any times when the tenant did not allow them access to the property.
Sometimes, we may recommend that you negotiate a settlement with your tenant to avoid a lengthy legal case. We can negotiate the terms on your behalf where necessary.
If you have discharged your repairing obligations, our experienced solicitors will put forward the strongest possible defence on your behalf.
The private landlord and rent arrears recovery
Rent arrears can be damaging to landlords, taking valuable time and causing cashflow problems. Taking quick action can deter tenants from making this an ongoing issue.
Where necessary, we can start the formal process of rent recovery on your behalf. If a guarantor signed the tenancy agreement and the rent is 14 days late, we can ask the guarantor to pay.
If the tenancy ends, then you can ask the tenancy deposit scheme to pay the arrears from the deposit.
It is essential to follow the correct process when chasing rent arrears. You must advise the tenant of the amount they owe and give them a deadline for paying. If you want to evict them, we can deal with this on your behalf, ensuring that the proper notices are served and asking the court for a possession order.
Enforcing covenants in tenancy agreements
In addition to paying the rent on time, tenants must comply with all of the other terms of their tenancy agreement. Common breaches of tenancy agreements include:
Causing damage to the property. If the tenant causes damage, either through negligence or accidentally, this is a breach of their agreement with you. We can write a formal letter to them on your behalf, requiring them to rectify matters.
Failing to keep the property clean and tidy. Tenants should keep the property in reasonable condition. This includes cleaning it as needed and treating it with respect. You have the right to request access to the property to check its condition.
However, you must tread carefully as the tenant has a ‘right to quiet enjoyment’, which means occupying the property without a landlord or their agent bothering them unduly. You should only request access if you have a valid reason.
If you want to visit the property to conduct an inspection, you must give the tenant at least 24 hours’ notice unless it is an emergency. You can also request entry for yourself or on behalf of someone engaged by you if you need to carry out repairs or safety checks.
Accessing a property often causes disagreements between landlords and tenants. So, we always recommend being flexible when making arrangements.
Accumulating rubbish, including in communal areas. Tenancy agreements usually require tenants to keep the property free from rubbish and ensure that communal areas are tidy and easy for all users to access.
Anti-social behaviour. You should tackle anti-social behaviour promptly as it will affect other tenants, and as landlord, you could be in breach of your obligations if you allow the situation to continue.
Subletting the property, if the tenancy agreement prohibits this. If you have not permitted subletting, we can contact your tenant to insist they end the sub-tenancy. Where necessary, we can take enforcement action to recover the property on your behalf.
Keeping pets, if the tenancy agreement prohibits this. It is important to treat all tenants the same. If you have banned pets, you should ensure that your tenants comply. If you allow one tenant to keep a pet, then may follow suit.
Illegal activity. As a landlord, you have an obligation to take action if you find out that the tenant is using your property for illegal purposes. There is a risk that you could face prosecution if you do not. If you continue to accept rent after finding out about criminal activity, the courts have the power to confiscate this.
We strongly advise you to take immediate legal advice if you suspect your tenants of illegal activity. This could be growing or dealing drugs or selling items illegally, including stolen goods, tobacco products or alcohol.
Eviction using section 8 of the Housing Act (breach of tenancy)
If your tenant persists in breaching their tenancy agreement, we can represent you in evicting them. Section 8 of the Housing Act allows private landlords to ask the court for possession if they have followed the correct process.
This includes:
· Serving a valid notice on the tenant
· Beginning the proceedings within the time limits stated in the notice
· The notice includes the ground on which you are seeking possession and particulars of what has happened
· The notice advises the tenant that the landlord intends to begin proceedings for possession
· The notice states a date after which possession proceedings will commence
There are mandatory grounds for eviction and discretionary grounds. If you prove that a mandatory ground for eviction exists and you have followed the process correctly, the court must grant a possession order. If there is a discretionary ground for eviction, the court will order eviction if it is reasonable.
Mandatory grounds for eviction
1. As the landlord, you want to live in the property as your main residence and you used it as your main residence before the tenancy began.
2. You have a mortgage over the property, which was in place before the tenancy began, and the lender has started possession proceedings.
3. You used the property as a holiday let before the tenancy and you wish to return it to a holiday let.
4. As the landlord, you are an educational institution and you need the property for students.
5. As the landlord, you are a religious organisation and require the property for a minister or other member.
6. You want to redevelop the property and the tenant refuses to live there while you have the work done.
7. The original tenant has died and the person in the property is not named on the tenancy agreement.
8. The tenant should pay rent weekly but has not paid for more than eight weeks. If they pay monthly, they have not paid for two months, or quarterly, they have not paid for a quarter.
Discretionary grounds for eviction
1. You have offered the tenant similar suitable accommodation and will pay the tenant’s moving costs, but the tenant has refused the offer.
2. The tenant owes rent arrears, but no more than eight weeks’ worth of weekly payments, no more than two months’ worth of monthly payments, and no more than one quarter’s worth of quarterly payments.
3. The tenant is repeatedly late with payments or you have to chase them regularly for rent. Grounds 10 and 11 can be used with ground 8. This prevents the tenant from paying enough rent to negate ground 8.
4. The tenant has breached the terms of the tenancy agreement.
5. The tenant has damaged or neglected the property or sublet to someone who has damaged or neglected it.
6. The neighbours have complained about nuisance behaviour on the part of the tenant.
7. The tenant has misused the property’s fixtures and fittings, including damaging or selling them.
8. You let the property as part of an employment package but the employment has ended.
9. The tenant or their referee or guarantor provided false information when applying to rent the property.
It is essential that a section 8 notice is correctly drafted and that the right amount of notice is given to the tenant. Our team can advise you on the procedure and prepare and serve the notice on your behalf.
Applications for possession orders and applications to enforce possession orders
Where the tenant does not leave the property within the time allowed in the section 8 notice, our solicitors can apply to the court for a possession order.
If necessary, we can then arrange for enforcement. This involves applying to the court for a warrant or writ of possession. After a 14-day notice period, a county court bailiff or High Court Enforcement Officer will then evict the tenant on your behalf.
Eviction using section 21 of the Housing Act
Known as a ‘no-fault’ eviction, you can use a section 21 notice to evict tenants on two months’ notice if either:
· Their fixed-term tenancy has ended and you have a written contract
· Their tenancy is a periodic tenancy with no set end date
To use a section 21 eviction, the tenancy must have been running for at least four months, and/or the fixed term has ended.
You must also make sure that you have complied with all rules, including:
· The tenant’s deposit is in a deposit protection scheme and served the prescribed information within the statutory time frame
· You have a house in multiple occupation (HMO) licence if you need one
· You have returned any unlawful fees or deposits to the tenant
· You supplied the tenant with:
o An Energy Performance Certificate
o The ‘How to rent’ guide
o The gas safety certificates
Our solicitors can check that you are compliant and issue a section 21 notice on your behalf, giving your tenant notice that you are seeking possession.
The government’s new Renters’ Rights Bill will ban no-fault evictions and reform grounds for possession – making life potentially much harder for the private landlord.
Defending unlawful eviction claims
The Protection from Eviction Act 1977 makes it a criminal offence for a private landlord to make a tenant leave or give up their rights by harassment and/or illegal eviction.
Harassment that could cause a tenant to leave includes:
· Threatening to change the locks
· Withholding or opening post
· Entering the property without permission
· Removing or interfering with a tenant’s possessions
· Violent or intimidating language or behaviour
· Pressuring a tenant to leave before their tenancy ends
· Cutting off gas, water or electricity more than once
· Demanding money that the tenant does not owe or cannot pay
If you have been accused of harassment and/or unlawful eviction, our private landlord solicitors can step in to resolve matters promptly.
A tenant may also wish to claim civil damages or prevent a future breach by bringing an injunction claim.
