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