CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
Most tenants in Wales are currently entitled to 6 months’ notice before their landlord can start court action to evict them. This includes assured shorthold tenants, assured tenants and secure council tenants.
You could be given a shorter notice in some cases. For example if you’re facing eviction for antisocial behaviour, are living with your landlord, or you received your notice before the 29 September 2020. Use our interactive tool below to find out how much notice you are entitled to:
What if my landlord has already started court proceedings to evict me?
The way the courts deal with possession cases changed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. If you have received possession papers or a notice of eviction from the county court use our step-by-step guide below to find out what will happen next:
There are some new stages in the possession process. These include:
Reactivation Notices: if your landlord started court proceedings before 3 August 2020 it is likely that it was put on hold for a time. Your landlord must send a Reactivation Notice to you and the court to re-start the case. In the notice they must give information to the court about the impact coronavirus has had on you and your family. Make sure you tell your landlord straight away if you are struggling because of coronavirus, for example, if your income has reduced and you cannot pay your rent. It is best to do this in an email. Your landlord will then have to pass this information on to the court in any Reactivation Notice.
Review Date: in most cases the court will set a Review Date for the judge to review the papers and see if an agreement can be reached before a court hearing takes place. You don’t need to go to court on the Review Date but you will be told when it is so that you can try and make an agreement if possible.
Courts remain open but some hearings might be dealt with by telephone or a video link. Make sure you contact the court in advance of any court hearing if you are worried about going to the court because of coronavirus.
Court duty advisers are available to help you on any Review Date or at any possession hearing. Details of how to contact an adviser should be sent to you with the papers from the court.
Bailiff eviction: bailiffs in Wales were banned from carrying out evictions during the pandemic. This ban ended on the 30 June 2021. From that date bailiffs have been able to carry out evictions regardless of the reason for eviction.
Always get advice if possession proceedings have started against you. It might not be too late to stop or delay any eviction.
If you are under 25 and are worried about eviction, take a look at our Eviction advice page, put together just for young people.
