My landlord is threatening to evict me — what do I do?

Don't panic — a threat is not a legal eviction. Your landlord cannot remove you from your home without following a strict legal process, and that process takes months.

To legally evict you, your landlord must: serve a valid Section 8 notice on the correct form (Form 3A) citing a legal ground; wait for the notice period to expire (usually four months); apply to court for a possession order; and only then, if you still haven't left, obtain a warrant for court bailiffs.

Verbal threats, WhatsApp messages, knocking on the door and asking you to leave, or turning up with a locksmith — none of these are legal eviction. If your landlord tries to remove you by any means other than the court process, that is an illegal eviction, which is a criminal offence.

Keep a written record of every threat or incident — dates, times, what was said, any messages. This evidence matters if things escalate.

Contact Shelter England (Get urgent free advice from Shelter) or Citizens Advice (citizensadvice.org.uk) and describe exactly what's happening. They can tell you whether there's a legitimate eviction process underway or whether your landlord is simply trying to pressure you out.