A family from the local Somali community came to one of our drop-in sessions with a Section 21 notice from their landlord. They had no idea whether the notice was valid, what it meant in practice, or how much time they legally had to respond.
A caseworker sat down with them and went through the paperwork line by line. Checking the dates and the documents the landlord was required to provide, it became clear the notice had been served incorrectly.
With that established, the caseworker helped the family draft a formal written response setting out the problems with the notice, and explained what would happen next if the landlord decided to take the matter further.
The family was able to remain in their home while a longer-term housing solution was found. They avoided the disruption, stress and cost of an emergency move, and left with a much clearer understanding of their position as tenants.
Outcome
The family stayed in their home while longer-term housing was arranged, and avoided an unnecessary emergency move.
Details have been changed to protect client confidentiality. We provide general legal information and advocacy rather than advice on individual circumstances, and outcomes vary from case to case.
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