Private renting

The law protects people living in residential property against harassment and illegal eviction. It does this in two ways: by making harassment and illegal eviction a criminal offence, and by allowing someone who is harassed or illegally evicted to claim damages through the civil court.

The law makes it an offence to:

• Commit acts likely to interfere with the peace or comfort of a tenant or anyone living with them; or
• Persistently withdraw or withhold services for which the tenant has a reasonable need to live in the premises as a home

It is an offence to do any of the things described above intending, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that they would cause the tenant to leave their home, or stop using part of it, or stop doing the things a tenant should normally expect to be able to do. It is also an offence to take someone's home away from them unlawfully.

Landlords have a responsibility to undertake repairs to your home and will need access to do this. If access is required, a landlord is required to give 24 hours written notice of their intention to enter at what must be a reasonable time. A landlord does not have the right to enter your home without your permission except in an emergency or into communal areas that the landlord is responsible for maintaining; for example, in a block of flats or bedsits.

In most cases, your landlord must give you two months' notice to take possession of the property, unless you are in serious rent arrears (more than eight weeks). In this case, your landlord can issue two weeks' notice that they intend to apply for a possession order from the County Court.  If you do not leave, the landlord may ask for a possession order and if granted, you will be given a period of time within which you must leave; failure to do so may result in the landlord using the court bailiffs to evict you. If the landlord has to apply for a possession order, they may ask the court to require you to pay their legal and court costs.

Even if you have rent arrears or your tenancy agreement has expired, the law will still protect you from illegal eviction and harassment and unless your landlord has a possession order you do not have to leave the property.

From 1 May 2026 fixed term tenancies have been replaced with rolling periodic tenancies. If a landlord wants to evict you they will need to serve a Section 8 Notice citing one of the legal grounds for possession. Your landlord will have to follow the correct notice period for the ground for possession they cite. From 1 May 2026 landlords cannot serve a Section 21 notice. If they do this is illegal and you can report them to the council.

To correctly serve a ground for possession a landlord will need to comply with the below:

• Protect the deposit in a government-approved deposit scheme
• Follow the correct notice period and procedures for serving a Section 8 Notice

You can't be evicted if your landlord has not followed the correct procedure listed above.

Coventry City Council can help any tenant who is threatened with eviction or being harassed by their landlord.

If it is your first time using our new system for reporting Illegal Eviction or Harassment, you will be required to register a new account. Then go to the Service Requests section select 'Submit a Service Request', under request details select 'Disrepair and/or Illegal Eviction or Harassment'. Complete the online application form.

You may be able to get free legal advice on eviction and harassment at Central England Law Centre

If you do not pay your rent, you may put your home at risk.

For further information on the process for different tenancies and leases you can visit the Shelter website