I’ve been given an eviction notice.
A notice isn’t an eviction. For most tenants in the places this guide covers, a landlord who wants you out has to go through a court or tribunal, and only an official such as a bailiff or sheriff can remove you. Lodgers, people who share a home with the owner and some other occupiers have fewer protections. Note your dates, don’t ignore the notice, and get free advice early.
If a child or anyone is in danger now, call 999 (UK), 112 (Ireland), 000 (Australia), 911 (US and Canada) or 111 (New Zealand).
How it works
From the notice to the decision.
Tap each stage to see what usually happens. The reasons, notice periods and rules differ by place: choose yours below.
A general outline. Every tenancy is different.
General information, checked against official sources on 2 October 2026. It isn’t advice about your case. The rules in their own words ↓
The first days
Steps many people take in the first days.
Even if you think the notice is wrong, don’t ignore it: an adviser can check it.
- Day 1Photograph the notice.Every page, and the envelope or message it came in, with the date you got it.
- Day 1Write down the dates.When you got it, when it says it ends, and any date to respond.
- Day 2Read the official page for where you live.It explains the forms, reasons and notice periods, so you know what to ask your adviser.
- Day 2Get free advice.In England, the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service helps from the moment you get a written notice.
- Keep paying rent.Arrears are a reason for eviction in their own right.
- Gather your papers.The tenancy agreement, rent records, repair requests and messages.
- Never ignore court papers.If a case starts, respond on time and go to the hearing.
If anyone tries to remove you or your belongings without an order, call the police.
Free tool
Gather your papers, ticked off.
A checklist of the papers worth having for a tenancy dispute. Ticks stay in this browser; print it when you’re done.
A general list, not advice for your country or your case. Courts can have their own rules on what to send and when.
Hearing date set? Turn it into a plan →
See it in the app
The notice, in the context of the whole tenancy.
- Add your papers.The notice, the agreement, emails, rent records. Before the language model reads a word, names become tags.
- The whole tenancy on one line.Repairs asked for, the notice, each with its source, and the gaps shown, like rent with no statement yet.
- It quotes the law where you live. Coming in early accessThe sections that apply to your case, in the law’s own words, with a link to the official text. Change the country above and it changes too.
- It checks the notice against your papers.What it says, the dates, what came before it, and the questions to take to an advice service.
Sample case. Names and papers are fictional. PROVEAiBLE is built for any case where papers matter.
What the rules say
The rules, in their own words.
Five questions about eviction notices, answered only from the law and official guidance, with the passage that answers it highlighted.
Quoted from the official text. It isn’t advice about your tenancy, and the law changes: check the official site. Renting law is set by each Australian state, US state and Canadian province; New South Wales, California and Ontario are shown as examples.
Questions people ask
The questions that keep you up at night.
Do I have to leave on the date in the notice?
For most tenants in the places this guide covers, the landlord needs a court or tribunal order to make you leave, and only an official can enforce it. Lodgers and some other occupiers have fewer protections. Staying on can still cost you: in many places you may have to pay rent or compensation for the extra time, and the landlord’s court costs if an order is made (in New Zealand it’s an unlawful act). Get advice before the date.
Can my landlord change the locks or cut off the power?
For most tenancies, no: lockouts and cutting off utilities to force a tenant out are illegal in all six places. In England it’s a crime; in Ontario fines can reach $100,000. Lodgers and some other occupiers have fewer protections. Call the police if it happens.
Is “no fault” eviction still allowed?
Ending a tenancy without any reason has ended in England (for notices from 1 May 2026) and New South Wales (from 19 May 2025). California requires just cause after 12 months, and Ontario allows only reasons in the Act. In all four, landlords can still end a tenancy for set no-fault reasons, such as selling or moving in, with the right notice. New Zealand still allows 90 days’ notice without a reason for periodic tenancies. If you got a section 21 notice in England before 1 May 2026, different rules apply.
Should I keep paying rent?
Generally, yes. Unpaid rent is a reason for eviction in its own right, and in Ireland you must keep paying if you stay after the notice ends.
Can I challenge the notice?
Often. In Ireland you can dispute a notice at the RTB (within 90 days, or 28 for arrears or another breach); in New South Wales and New Zealand, retaliatory notices can be challenged; in Ontario you have the right to a hearing.
Where do I get free advice?
See the free help below. In England, the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service helps from the moment you get a written notice, and at court on the day.
You’re not alone
You don’t have to do this alone.
Many tenants handle these problems without a lawyer, using services built for them. Free advice can tell you whether your situation needs a lawyer, especially if your home or a large sum is at stake.
Showing help for England. Change it with “Where you live” above.
“I built this after going through a court case myself.” — Andrew, founder
With a lawyer or without one, walk in with your papers in order.
PROVEAiBLE reads your papers, sets out the facts with their pages, shows where the papers disagree, quotes the law for where you live, and prepares your papers for the hearing. It never tells you which legal step to take, or how it will turn out. Law for more countries: coming in early access
Sources, checked 2 October 2026
- England: GOV.UK – Assured periodic tenancies; GOV.UK – Notices of possession served from 1 May 2026; GOV.UK – Private renting for tenants
- Ireland: Residential Tenancies Board (RTB); Residential Tenancies Board (RTB); Residential Tenancies Board (RTB)
- Australia: NSW Government (NSW Fair Trading); NSW Government (NSW Fair Trading); NSW Government (NSW Fair Trading)
- United States (California): California Civil Code; California Civil Code; California Courts Self-Help Guide; California Courts Self-Help Guide
- Canada (Ontario): Landlord and Tenant Board (Tribunals Ontario); Government of Ontario (ontario.ca)
- New Zealand: Tenancy Services (MBIE); Tenancy Services (MBIE); Tenancy Services (MBIE); Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (NZ)
General information, not legal advice. Laws, rules and court processes change; check the official pages and your own papers before you act.