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Is it possible to evict a tenant from a rental property?

A landlord can evict a tenant, but there has to be a good reason to do so; for example, if the landlord wishes to take back the property for personal use, which is called ‘no fault’, or if the tenants are causing problems for the landlord, such as non-payment of rent, called ‘at fault’. In both situations the landlord cannot demand the tenant(s) leave exactly when they want them to.

There is a procedure to follow first which includes warning the tenant(s) well in advance. It is illegal for any landlord to change the locks to prevent tenants from entering the property. Tenants have a statutory legal right of “quiet enjoyment”, which gives them protection from this type of harassment. Illegal eviction can be a serious civil or criminal offense and a landlord could face prosecution for this activity. The sorts of actions that are considered illegal are as follows:

  • The landlord decides to change the locks when the tenants are out.
  • The landlord uses physical force to remove tenants or threatens them verbally.