Other private arrangements
Not everyone has tenancy rights, but there are other forms of occupancy rights that are listed below:
Licensees
You are a licensee if:
- you have a resident landlord that you share facilities with eg the kitchen and bathroom
- you do not pay rent for your accommodation
- you are staying with family or friends as part of an informal arrangement
Eviction
As a licensee your landlord does not have to obtain a
possession order to evict you. You will only be entitled to
reasonable notice which can be verbal or in writing. Once this
notice expires you do not have a legal right to remain in the
property.
Reasonable notice is considered to be one rental period eg if you pay rent on a weekly basis you will only be entitled to one week's notice.
Tenants with basic protection
If you live in the same building as your landlord, but do not
share any facilities (eg the kitchen and bathroom) with them or any
members of their family, you will have basic protection from
eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. If your
landlord was not living in the property when your tenancy
began you will have an
assured or
assured shorthold tenancy.
Eviction
If your landlord wishes to evict you he must wait for
the tenancy agreement to expire, or if there is no current
agreement he must serve a notice to quit. This must be in a
form specified by law and give at least four weeks notice. After
the notice period your landlord will have to obtain a court order
to evict you. The courts will be obliged to award a possession
order to your landlord if it is proven that you are only entitled
to basic protection.
Service occupiers
If you live in a property as a condition of your
employment and you do not share any facilities (eg the kitchen and
bathroom) with your landlord, a possession order from the court
must be obtained to evict you.