Eviction

Ending a social tenancy

Your social tenancy can end if

your landlord evicts you
your landlord decides you aren't living in the property and takes it back, or
you end your own tenancy

Reasons for evicting social tenants

Your landlord needs a reason and must follow the proper process to end your tenancy. They should send you letters and messages explaining what is happening.

Contact our helpline if your landlord is trying to end your tenancy. We may be able to help you stay in your home.

Falling behind on your rent

You could lose your home if you don’t pay your rent. Your landlord, whether it’s the Housing Executive or a housing association will have to follow the proper procedure before this happens. Part of this procedure is to work with you to try to sort out the problem.

Decisions that the court can make

Different things can happen if you have to go to court for a possession hearing. The judge can make an order, schedule another hearing, or dismiss the case.

Eviction of social tenants

The Housing Executive and housing associations should only evict you if all other ways of solving a problem have failed. They have to follow the right process. This process depends on whether you've been a tenant for more or less than a year.

Evicting introductory tenants

An introductory tenancy is a trial period for your tenancy. It is easier for your landlord to evict you if you are an introductory tenant.

Evicting secure social tenants

Eviction should be a last resort for the Housing Executive and housing associations.

They should only evict you if other ways to sort out the problems in your tenancy failed.

Abandonment

Your Housing Executive or housing association property must be your main or only home. Your landlord can end your tenancy if they think you are living somewhere else.

This is called abandonment. The landlord has to follow the right process to end your tenancy in this way

Tenant or licensee

You need to know whether you are going to be a tenant who will be protected in law or a licensee who has very few rights in law. It's important that you understand your legal status in your new home.

Possession action & due process

You must follow due process of law when evicting a tenant. If you aren't careful in following the correct legal procedure you could be found guilty of carrying out an illegal eviction.

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