Plain-English answers to the questions tenants ask most

This is legal information, not legal advice. For advice, contact Shelter on 0808 800 4444, your local Citizens Advice, or a housing solicitor through the Law Society.

All renter questions answered

• I've received a Section 8 notice - what should I do?
  Plain-English steps after receiving a Section 8 eviction notice in England.
• How do I know if my Section 8 notice is valid?
  Validity checklist for Section 8 notices - form, dates, ground identification, notice period, service.
• Can my landlord evict me without going to court?
  Required court process, excluded-occupier exceptions, and Protection from Eviction Act safeguards.
• What replaced Section 21 after the ban?
  For assured tenancies, Section 8 grounds are the main post-1 May 2026 possession route; saved notices and other occupation types differ.
• I got a Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 - am I being evicted?
  Pre-1 May 2026 Section 21 notices are subject to a transition window.
• I owe rent arrears - can I stop a Ground 8 eviction?
  Bring arrears below the threshold by hearing date, raise disrepair counterclaim, or dispute rent calculation.
• My deposit was never protected - what can I claim?
  1× to 3× the deposit in compensation under Housing Act 2004 s.214.
• My deposit hasn't been returned after my tenancy ended
  Scheme dispute resolution or county court route under Housing Act 2004.
• How do I find out which deposit scheme my money is in?
  Use DPS, MyDeposits, and TDS online lookups to find your deposit.
• My landlord has increased my rent - is it legal?
  Section 13 notice, correct prescribed form for the date served, at least 52 weeks since the last increase, tribunal challenge.
• My landlord won't fix repairs - what can I do?
  Repair duty under section 11 LTA 1985. Council, court, and rent set-off routes.
• Is my landlord responsible for mould in my flat?
  How cause, repair duties, fitness, notice, access, and evidence affect responsibility.
• My landlord changed the locks - what should I do?
  When a lockout may be illegal eviction, and how to seek urgent police, council, or legal help.
• My landlord keeps entering without asking - is this allowed?
  Notice, access rights, emergencies, quiet enjoyment, and when repeated entry may be harassment.
• My landlord refused my pet request - can they?
  From 1 May 2026 you have a statutory right to request a pet. Landlords must respond reasonably.
• How long do I have to leave after a Section 8 notice?
  Notice periods, possession orders, the ordered date, and authorised court enforcement.
• My landlord wants to sell - can they evict me?
  Possible via Ground 1A: 4 months notice, genuine sale intention, normal protected period, and a narrow exception.
• Universal Credit is late - can I be evicted?
  Current Ground 8 disregards a qualifying unpaid Universal Credit amount. Notice date, entitlement and the adjusted calculation matter.
• My Section 8 notice has mistakes - is it invalid?
  Whether form, date, ground, particulars, or service errors prevent reliance is fact- and law-specific.
• My landlord is making unfair deductions from my deposit
  Use scheme dispute resolution to challenge unfair deductions.
• My landlord never sent prescribed deposit information
  How missing or late prescribed information affects a section 214 application and possession rules.
• Can my landlord increase rent during my tenancy?
  The current Section 13 route, prescribed notice, timing limits, agreement rules, and tribunal challenge.
• How do I challenge a rent increase at tribunal?
  Apply before the proposed start date using the current GOV.UK service or paper Form MR1.
• My landlord raised rent without a Section 13 notice
  Check the tenancy, notice date, any agreement, and whether the statutory route was required before changing payment.
• Can my landlord raise rent twice in one year?
  How the current 52- or 53-week statutory interval and saved earlier rules apply.
• My landlord won't fix the boiler
  Heating and hot water are landlord repairs under s.11 LTA 1985.
• How long does my landlord have to fix repairs?
  The fact-specific reasonable-opportunity test and urgency factors.
• My landlord is refusing to fix damp
  How cause, notice, repair and fitness duties, council powers, and evidence affect the case; fixed Awaab deadlines currently apply only in social housing.
• Emergency repair - my landlord won't act
  Immediate safety, landlord notice, council powers, and advice-led escalation.
• My landlord is threatening to evict me - is this legal?
  Lawful process, evidence, and when threats may engage PEA 1977 harassment offences.
• My landlord switched off my electricity or gas
  When deliberate utility disconnection may satisfy PEA 1977 harassment or unlawful-eviction offences, and urgent next steps.
• Free tenant rights checkers
  Seven free interactive checkers covering Section 8, Section 21, deposits, rent increases, repairs, illegal eviction, and damp/mould.
• Renter rights guides
  Plain-language guides on eviction, deposits, rent increases, and the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

Common questions

What kinds of questions are answered here?

High-intent practical questions from private renters in England, what to do when you receive a Section 8 or Section 21 notice, deposit disputes, rent-increase challenges, repair refusals, illegal eviction, and the new pet rights under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

Is this legal advice?

No. These pages provide general legal information about English housing law. They are not advice on your specific situation. For advice, contact Shelter on 0808 800 4444 or your local Citizens Advice.

Are the answers free?

Yes. Every question and every linked checker is free to use. There is no signup, no advertising, and no paywall on the core information.

Use the interactive checker on getrentersrights.com for the full step-by-step result.