Renters’ Rights Act: My tenant owes £15,000 in rent, but I can't get them out of the property

Rongmala became a landlord by circumstance after her disabilities made it impossible for her to live independently. Moving in with her children, she chose to rent out her maisonette in south London to maintain some income. However, last year her tenant stopped paying rent, accumulating arrears that now total around £15,000. Despite sending an eviction notice and initiating court proceedings, the tenant has refused to leave. Rongmala is now caught in a prolonged legal process, with court delays meaning it could take up to 11 months before bailiffs can enforce the eviction, leaving her feeling “broken” amid mounting financial and emotional strain.

The impending Renters’ Rights Act, set to come into effect in England on 1 May, represents the most extensive reform of the private rental sector in decades. This legislation aims to enhance tenant security by banning “no fault evictions” and imposing limits on rent increases. Rongmala describes the pressure from lost rental income as causing her depression, despite her children’s financial help. She has incurred additional costs, including £2,500 for boiler repairs and ongoing service charges alongside her mortgage payments. While a court has granted her possession of the property, only court-appointed bailiffs can remove the tenant, leading to long wait times.

Renters themselves are experiencing significant challenges, as highlighted by accounts collected by the BBC. Rosie and her friends, all young professionals, have moved “dozens of times” and some are spending up to 70% of their income on rent. Fran Brown, 58, has changed residences five times since 2017 and faces another rent increase, feeling vulnerable to the landlord’s decisions. Another tenant, James, shared the distress of receiving an eviction notice and struggling to secure housing for his family at short notice, describing it as “really tough” to have to uproot a life built over ten years.

Landlords express mixed reactions to the reforms. Many are concerned that the strengthened protections for tenants will exacerbate existing evictions delays and make it harder to deal with problematic renters. According to Ministry of Justice data, landlords currently wait around 26 weeks to repossess properties after filing claims, significantly longer than a decade ago. The National Residential Landlords’ Association warns of substantial average rent losses due to non-paying tenants. Some landlords fear further regulation could drive them out of the market, as illustrated by former engineer Keith Taylor, who worries that tax changes and escalating rules are making letting properties less viable. However, others, like Rick Gannon, who owns a large property portfolio, view the new laws positively, believing they will create fairer conditions and remove irresponsible landlords. Meanwhile, Rongmala and her son emphasize the difficulty that “small or accidental landlords” face and call for governmental support rather than additional burdens

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