Private renting for tenants: evictions in England
Eviction notices
If you do not leave your home by the date given in an outright possession order, your landlord can ask the court for a ‘warrant of possession’.
If the court gives a warrant, you’ll be sent an eviction notice that gives a date when you must leave your home. Bailiffs can evict you after this date. The costs of evicting you will be added to the money you owe.
Delaying eviction
You can ask a judge to suspend the warrant at a new hearing. This means they’ll delay the eviction or let you stay in your home if you can make payments again.
The judge will not automatically agree to suspend the warrant.
Applying to suspend a warrant
To apply for a suspension of a warrant, you must fill out an application notice and either send or deliver it to the county court dealing with your case.
You must tell the court you need a hearing at short notice (before your eviction date). You’ll have to pay a court fee of £15, unless you qualify for help.
Pay the county court:
- by phone with a debit or credit card
- by post with a cheque or postal order made out to ‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service’
- in person with cash or a debit or credit card
You can find the address and phone number for the county court online.
Asking the court to change your payments
If your circumstances change, you can ask a judge at a new hearing to change what you pay. To do this, you must fill out an application notice and either send or deliver it to the county court dealing with your case.
You’ll have to pay a court fee of £119, unless you qualify for help.
Pay the county court:
- in person by cheque, cash, debit or credit card
- by post with a cheque made out to ‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service’
Appealing against the decision
You can only appeal if you can show the judge made mistakes in the original possession hearing. You’ll need to ask the judge for permission to appeal at the end of the original hearing.
If you get permission to appeal, you’ll have to apply for an appeal hearing very soon afterwards. You’ll have to pay a court fee of £166, unless you qualify for help.
You’ll need to get legal advice.
Contact your local council
If you’re worried about becoming homeless, contact your local council for homelessness help and advice.