Been given an eviction date?

What your eviction notice means

This is how it usually works. A court gives an order for possession. If you do not leave by the date in that order, your landlord or lender can ask the court for a warrant. If the court gives one, you are sent an eviction notice with a date when you must leave. Bailiffs can evict you after that date. The costs of the eviction are added to the money you owe.

Landlords and lenders must follow a set process. If you have not had a court order, or no date from a court, this page may not describe your case. Call the free advisers above to check.

What to do today

1. Call free housing help. Shelter has a free helpline. The Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service gives free legal advice and does not depend on your income. Numbers and links are in the box at the top of this page.
2. Contact the court. Find the county court dealing with your case. The address and phone number are on the Find a court or tribunal page. Tell them your date, and that you need to know about getting a hearing before it.
3. Contact your local council if you are worried about becoming homeless. They give homelessness help and advice.
4. Get your papers together. The eviction notice, the possession order and any court letters. Also proof of your money, such as payslips, bank statements and letters about benefits.

Can the date be paused?

You can apply to a judge to “suspend the warrant”. This means ask the court to delay the eviction, or to let you stay if you can make payments again.

• How. You fill in an application notice (form N244) and post, email or deliver it to the county court dealing with your case. Using form N244 to ask the court to pause a repossession explains each step and links the official form.
• Tell the court you need a hearing at short notice. The hearing must take place before your eviction date.
• The fee. The court fee is £16. You may not have to pay it if you are on benefits or low pay. This is called fee remission, which means help paying the court fee.
• No promise. The judge does not automatically agree. It depends on what happens at the hearing.
• Rented homes. For a rented home in England, GOV.UK says a warrant can usually only be suspended in one case. The order must have been made using certain reasons called “discretionary grounds”. That is another reason to get advice first.

Your rights

• A landlord must follow the right process. It is a crime to remove you from your home without a court order or court-appointed bailiff. If someone is trying to remove you or your belongings without one, contact the police.
• If your landlord’s own mortgage lender takes the property back, the lender must give you notice so you can find somewhere else to live.
• Debts can make this worse. Breathing Space can pause some creditor action, but it does not stop everything. Ask an adviser today.

If you have to leave

If your home is repossessed, your local council must give you advice to help you find a new home. Depending on your situation, they may also be able to provide emergency accommodation.