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Mon, 27 Apr 2026

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 My tenant owes £15,000 in rent, but I can't get them out of the property

Landlords tell BBC News why they fear new laws could make it harder to remove problematic tenants.
A 57-year-old woman, Rongmala, has been left "broken" after her tenant stopped paying rent and she was forced to send an eviction notice. However, court delays are holding up the removal of the tenant, who is now £15,000 in arrears. The government's new Renters' Rights Act, which comes into effect on May 1st, aims to give renters more security by banning "no fault evictions" and limiting rent increases. But some landlords are worried that the law will make it harder for them to remove problematic tenants. Rongmala's tenant has refused to leave despite a court order awarding her possession of the property. The family has been told that it could take up to 11 months for the bailiffs to evict the tenant, leaving Rongmala feeling helpless and struggling with depression. Dozens of renters have shared their own experiences of difficulties in finding stable housing, with some having to move "dozens of times" and paying over 70% of their salaries in rent. Others have spoken about receiving "terrifying" eviction notices and struggling to find a new home on short notice. The Renters' Rights Act aims to restrict landlords to a handful of legal reasons for evictions, including anti-social behaviour or persistent rent arrears. But landlords fear that the system will make it harder to remove problematic tenants and are worried about the impact on their finances. According to figures from the Ministry of Justice, private landlords currently wait 26 weeks between bringing a claim and being able to repossess a property. Ten years ago, this figure was around 16 weeks. Landlords say that they will have to navigate a court hearing if a tenant challenges an eviction under the new rules. A government spokesperson said that the reforms would "reduce pressure on the courts in the long-term" but acknowledged that there may be short-term challenges. The Act aims to give tenants much-needed security in their homes, but some landlords are convinced that it will make life harder for them. Some landlords have reported a rise in Section 21 "no fault" evictions and are concerned about the impact of changes to taxation and regulation on the market. However, not all landlords are negative about the reforms, with some believing that they will make things fairer for tenants and weed out bad landlords.