One of the most challenging aspects of being a landlord is evicting a tenant to gain repossession of your rental property and to claim back any rent arrears. Evicting a tenant is not only a stressful process but can also be very expensive.
If you are wondering how much it costs to evict a tenant, this article explains the eviction costs that landlords can incur. If you want more information about eviction, we recommend reading this article – How to Evict a Tenant: A Guide For London Landlords.
Eviction Costs By Stage
The costs to evict a tenant will vary depending on the situation and how many stages you must go through for your tenant to leave the property. For example, your tenant might move out once you serve notice, which means you will only need to pay for this stage.
However, more problematic evictions may require you to instruct and pay for a bailiff, which can only be done after progressing through all the necessary legal stages. You must follow the correct legal processes, as not doing so is a criminal offence.
These are the eviction stages and average costs:
1. Serve Notice
The first stage of the eviction process is to serve notice on the tenants. There are two different types of eviction notice:
Section 8 Notice – This type of notice can be served when the tenant has broken the rules of the tenancy agreement. It is usually used when the tenant has missed their rent payments and the landlord wants to recover the money but it can also be when tenants have caused damage to the property or for anti-social behaviour. You must give 14 days’ notice. Serving a section 8 notice typically costs £99.
Section 21 Notice – A section 21 notice can be served when there is no fault by the tenant, for example, if the landlord wants to move back into the property, sell it or rent to another tenant. It can only be served once the initial fixed period of the tenancy agreement has passed. You must give two months’ notice. Serving a section 21 notice will usually cost £99.
2. Obtain A Possession Order
If the tenants do not vacate by the specified date, the next stage is obtaining a possession order. If you have served a section 21 notice, you can choose between a standard possession order or an accelerated obsession order. For section 8 notices you must apply for a standard possession order.
Both types of possession orders cost £355 to submit. It will cost a further £275 if you want the court to notify the tenant of the possession order.
There will also be court fees to pay if there is a court hearing. Going through the High Court will typically cost up to £900 more than going through the County Court, but it will be faster.
3. Obtain A Warrant For Possession
If the tenants have still not vacated the property after the possession order has been issued, you can then obtain a warrant for possession, which enables the instruction of instruction of a bailiff to evict the tenant. Bailiff fees through the County Court are £348, while High Court bailiffs will cost around £1,200, as the High Court Enforcement Officers cost around £250 to £300 per hour.
Average Costs To Evict A Tenant
While many cases will be settled without the need to have a court hearing, these are the average costs when going through court:
| Stage | County Court | High Court |
| Stage 1: Serve notice | £99 | £99 |
| Stage 2: Obtain a possession order | £900 | £900 |
| Stage 3: Obtain a warrant for possession | £348 | £1,200 |
| Total Cost: | £1,347 | £2,199 |
Can I Recover Court Costs From A Tenant?
In some cases, it may be possible to recover court costs from a tenant, provided that this has been detailed in the tenancy agreement under service charges. Claims for service charges are usually processed through the small claims court.
How To Reduce The Cost Of Evicting A Tenant
If you want to try and reduce the cost of evicting a tenant, you should try talking to them before starting the eviction process to see if you can reach an agreement. Avoiding going to court by using a section 21 order will also keep costs lower, provided they move out once they receive the notice.
Unfortunately, evicting tenants can be a common problem for landlords, which is why taking out insurance to cover legal fees can help to save you a considerable amount of money.
At ABC Gone, we provide a guaranteed rent service to landlords in east London. If you have a rental property in Romford, Dagenham
