My landlord wants to evict me

It can be very worrying if your landlord has asked you to leave your home. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to access the help that you need

How have you been asked to leave your home?

My landlord has asked me to leave verbally

In most cases, your landlord will need to serve you a formal written notice to end your tenancy. This can vary, depending on your tenancy agreement.

If your landlord is asking you to leave without serving a notice, your landlord may be trying to evict you illegally.

I’ve received a letter from the court telling me to leave my home

If you’ve received a letter from the court informing you that you must leave your home, it is important that you tell us as soon as possible. The quickest way to get in touch with us is by telling us online.

If you need help to understand or reply to the letter you have received from the court, you can contact Coventry Citizens Advice or use Shelter's eviction advice.

Getting notice of eviction

A landlord can issue you with a formal eviction notice. This is known as a section 21 notice or a section 8 notice to end your tenancy. Certain criteria must be followed in order for the notice to be valid. Invalid notices can be challenged in court.

The landlord does not need to give a reason to end your tenancy with a section 21 notice. However, with a section 8 notice, the landlord must give a legal reason to end your tenancy.

Shelter's eviction advice for help and advice on evictions.

How do I find out the type of tenancy I have?

Most people have an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) but if you are unsure use Shelter's tenancy rights checker to see what type of tenancy or licence you have.

If you are a tenant and you are faced with eviction, you can find out more about your rights by contacting Coventry Citizen's Advice.

Illegal eviction and harassment

It's a criminal offence for your landlord to evict you without following the correct legal procedure. Illegal eviction may include:

• Forcing you to leave through threats or harassment
• Physically throwing you out
• Stopping you from getting into certain parts of your home
• Changing the locks while you're out

Harassment can take the form of:

• Making threats to persuade a tenant to leave
• Cutting off service, such as heat, electricity or water
• Preventing access to shared kitchens and bathrooms
• Entering a tenant's room without permission.

If you face threats of violence contact the police on 101. If the crime is happening now, call 999.

If you're being harassed by your landlord or think you're being evicted illegally, contact the Housing Enforcement Team on 024 7697 5495.

How do I get more help from the Council?

If you have received a written notice of eviction, it’s important that you tell us as soon as you can by registering with us.

Make a housing assistance referral