What happens if the tenant won't leave?
You can't forcibly remove your tenants without an eviction order. Once the notice period is up you can start an eviction process through the courts.
Avoiding harassment and / or illegal eviction
Harassing tenants to leave and/or not following the correct eviction process is a criminal offence as detailed in the Protection from Eviction Act. Anyone who is harassed or illegally evicted can claim damages through the civil court. The Police could also become involved if a tenant is physically assaulted.
A landlord should not:
- use threats or physical violence to get anyone to leave their accommodation
- attempt to force anyone to leave their home or lock them out
- withdraw gas, electric or water supplies
- persistently disturb the tenant in their accommodation
- interfere with a tenant’s personal belongings
- enter the property without the permission of the tenant and without giving reasonable notice.
There's more information on the gov.uk website:
Evicting tenants - the rules you must follow (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)