The lockdown followed by landlords and bosses' responses have caused a mass lay-off of workers and a crisis of rent arrears. Landlords are not relenting from pursuing tenants for rent and many are already pressuring tenants to leave their homes. The following questions should clarify the current eviction process in the Private Rented Sector, which can seem daunting and impossible to stop. It is not! It is crucial to remember that you do not have to leave your home just because you landlords wants you to, and Living Rent are here to support in resisting eviction and keeping your home.
When can I be served an eviction notice?
- Your landlord can serve you an eviction notice, also known as a Section 50, notice to leave or notice to quit, only if they believe one or more of the grounds for eviction applies. The grounds for eviction are available here.
How is the eviction notice served?
- Usually, an eviction notice must be served by post to the tenant’s residence. However, under new legislation in the Coronavirus Act 2020, an eviction notice can now be delivered electronically, for example via email. The landlord is required to assume a 48 hour period for the tenant to receive and acknowledge this notice.
Does the eviction notice mean I have to leave?
- No, the eviction notice gives you a date on which the landlord can apply for an eviction order. The notice is basically a date, but you are not obliged to move until the landlord has been granted an eviction order. Living Rent Member Defence teams can support you to reverse the eviction before this date by pressuring the landlord, and after this date by supporting you in the tribunal and if the landlord gets an eviction order.
My landlord is threatening me with eviction, what do I do?
- Your landlord can only formally pursue an eviction if they have sent you, via post or email, an eviction notice stating the legal ground(s) for eviction that they will use to evict you. See the grounds for eviction here.
What is the difference between an eviction notice and an eviction order?
- The eviction notice is a letter or email delivered by your landlord stating the ground(s) of eviction they wish to use to evict you. However, the eviction notice is not the same as an eviction order. An eviction order can only be given by the court at a First-tier tribunal after your case has been heard.
What has changed in the eviction process since the Covid-19 Crisis?
- Under a new Coronavirus Scotland Act which came into effect on 7th April, there are changes to the eviction process that could affect you if you receive an eviction notice between the 7th April 2020 and the 30th September 2020.
- Firstly, the period between receiving an eviction notice and the case being taken to tribunal has been extended to 3 months or 6 months, depending on the grounds used (see our list of the grounds for eviction and their corresponding notice lengths in the private rented sector below). With the exception of ground 10 (Tenant is not occupying the property) which requires 28 days notice.
- All the grounds for eviction (e.g. Landlord intends to move into property) have gone from mandatory to discretionary, meaning that the Tribunal will have to look at other evidence surrounding an eviction, other than for example just the fact that the landlord wants to move in.
I am a social tenant, does this apply to me?
- The main change for social tenants is the notice period required before the landlord can go to Tribunal to apply for an eviction order. These have almost all been extended to 3 months or 6 months (apart from ground 10: Tenant is not occupying the property which requires 28 days notice, see our list for the grounds for eviction and their corresponding notice lengths in the social rented sector below). This will apply to you if you have received an eviction notice on or after the 7th April 2020.
What is a tribunal?
- A tribunal settles disputes in the private rented sector. They will hear your case and decide whether or not to grant an order of eviction. Though the tribunals often act in favour of landlords and letting agents, Living Rent Member Defence teams will support you to try and reverse an eviction before it reaches the tribunal stage by using coordinated action and pressure.
- The Tribunals are currently doing Case Management Discussions (pre-hearings) online.
- See here the more detailed FAQs surrounding the tribunal process.
Will my case have to go to tribunal?
- If the landlord still wishes to proceed with the eviction and the tenant contests it at the end of the notice period, the case will be heard in the Tribunal.
- Living Rent Member Defence teams can support in preparing for Tribunal and also challenge evictions before they reach the Tribunal. Through coordinated action we can pressure the landlord to withdraw the notice to leave/quit.
Will the impact of the Covid-19 crisis be taken into account when the Tribunal decides on whether to grant an eviction order?
- Yes. While there is no express direction for taking into account the impact of Covid-19, the tribunal has a judicial duty to consider all the circumstances surrounding the case and to decide if it is reasonable to evict you in light of the effect of Covid-19 on yourself and your landlord. However, this does not mean that you are categorically exempt from eviction if you can prove you have been affected by Covid-19, only that this will be taken into consideration.
- Living Rent Member Defence teams can support in signposting and preparing tenants for Tribunal cases and organise supporting actions outside the Tribunal on the day of the hearing.
What happens if I received my eviction notice before the 7th April 2020?
- If you received an eviction notice from your landlord before the 7th April 2020, the new considerations of Covid-19 and the legal changes of the 2020 Act do not apply to your case and you could still be evicted under the previous 2016 Act.
Are the Tribunals hearing cases now?
- The Tribunal will begin hearings and case management discussions (pre-hearing meetings) on 9th July at the earliest.
What happens if my landlord is trying to evict me for rent arrears built up as a direct result of the Covid-19 crisis?
- You, the tenant, must be in rent arrears for 3 consecutive months to warrant a notice for eviction. If you have been in rent arrears for less than time than this, you cannot be evicted due to arrears. If your arrears are due to the failure or delayed payment of a relevant benefit, such as Universal Credit and Discretionary Housing Payment, this will not apply. If this is the case, you must be able to prove you have applied for this benefit.
- If you have been in arrears for 3 consecutive months, the period between the date of your landlord sending you an eviction notice and the date when your landlord can then apply to take your case to tribunal has to be at least 6 months. Therefore, if you have fallen into rent arrears, you cannot be served an eviction order by a court for at least 6 months from the date that you receive the eviction letter.
What happens if my case goes to tribunal and the court grants the eviction order?
- The landlord has the right to employ sheriff officers to evict you from the property. However Living Rent Member Defence teams may be able to support you to resist the eviction if this happens.
List of the grounds for eviction and their corresponding notice lengths in the private rented sector: here.
List of the grounds for eviction and their corresponding notice lengths in the social rented sector: here.
If you're threatened with eviction, email [email protected].