Published: 26 Mar 2018 by Tom Rooker

Lyndsay’s eviction story began with a letter. Her landlord sent her a section 21 notice, giving her two months to leave her home.

After struggling to find another landlord who would accept a tenant who claimed benefits, Lyndsay decided to contact the local council for help. It was her housing officer there who spotted a problem with her section 21 notice, making it invalid.

Lyndsay’s landlord had to send a second section 21 notice, which gave her another two months in her home.

Lyndsay’s advice for getting through a section 21 eviction

• try to keep a good relationship with your landlord, if you can
• if you’re getting council support, keep in regular touch with your contact there
• see friends and family as much as possible
• stay positive, and try to make the best of a bad situation

It’s always worth checking that your landlord has followed the rules when giving you a section 21.

Get more advice about eviction if you’ve received a section 21

Lyndsay stayed past the expiry date on the second section 21 notice, meaning her landlady had to start court action. The court sent her a possession order four months later.

She was given six weeks to leave her home – an extension of the usual two weeks that’s sometimes given. However, she was ordered to pay £400 in court costs because there was no legal reason to stop her eviction.

A day before the bailiffs were due, Lyndsay and her children moved into the temporary council accommodation for which they had qualified. After a 12-week stay, Lyndsay was fortunate to be nominated for a home with a housing association.

‘It all worked out for the best,’ Lyndsay says. ‘We were very lucky.’