Renting Out Privately in the UK

Neil Smith
Aug 11
3 min read

What Every Landlord Needs to Know (Before It’s Too Late)

Thinking of renting out your property privately? Maybe you're tempted by the idea of a higher rent or avoiding management fees. Fair enough. But before you hand over the keys, you need to know exactly what you’re stepping into — because once a tenant moves in, getting them out (if something goes wrong) is far from easy.

Here’s what every UK landlord must understand to protect themselves from non-payment, squatting, and costly legal delays.

✅ The Legal Must-Haves to Let Privately

Before your tenant moves in, make sure you’ve done the basics — or you’ll have no legal grounds to evict later. You need:

A properly signed AST (Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement)
Valid Right to Rent checks
Proof of deposit protection (e.g. DPS, MyDeposits)
Gas Safety Certificate
EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)
How to Rent guide (must be the latest gov.uk version)
Smoke and CO alarms installed/tested

Miss even one of the above? You could find yourself unable to serve notice properly — and legally stuck.

😱 The Nightmare Scenario: What Happens If They Don’t Pay?

So, your tenant’s stopped paying rent. Or worse, they won’t leave when the tenancy ends. Here's what happens next if you're not on a managed service or using something like Cotton Cover:

You serve notice (usually a Section 8 or Section 21 notice).
Wait out the notice period (2 months in most cases — longer if you get it wrong).
Apply to court for possession (fees start from £355 but can rise).
Wait for a court date (this can take 2–6 months depending on the backlog).
If granted, apply for bailiffs (can take another 6–10 weeks minimum).
Hope the tenant doesn’t challenge it (which can delay everything further).

💸 Estimated cost to evict a non-paying tenant: £1,500–£3,000+ (including court, legal fees, lost rent).

⏳ Average time to reclaim your property: 6 to 12 months. Yes, really.

👣 And If They Don’t Leave? (Squatters vs. Tenants)

Many landlords panic at the idea of "squatters" — but in most cases, problem tenants are not squatters. If you gave them a key and they moved in with your permission, they are tenants in the eyes of the law. That means:

You cannot just change the locks.
You cannot remove their belongings.
You must go through the legal process.

Changing the locks without a court order can result in criminal charges against you — even if they haven’t paid rent in months.

🔒 How to Protect Yourself from Day One

Here’s how you can seriously reduce the risk of drama down the line:

1. Use Professional Referencing

Never skip this. Always get:

Credit checks
Previous landlord references
Employment verification

2. Protect Your Rent

Even a great tenant can fall on hard times. That’s why we offer Cotton Cover — a legal safety net that protects against tenant default and covers eviction costs.

3. Don’t Skip the Paperwork

We’ve seen landlords lose thousands just because they didn’t provide the "How to Rent" guide or forgot to protect the deposit. These things matter in court.

4. Don’t Let It Drag On

The moment a tenant falls into arrears, act fast. Don’t wait months. Cotton Estates offers support to landlords early, before things spiral.

🚨 Pitfalls to Avoid (So You Don’t Get Stuck for a Year)

❌ Verbal agreements — courts don’t care what was said, only what’s written.
❌ Letting a friend or family member move in without a contract — huge mistake.
❌ Not doing an inventory — you’ll struggle to claim for damages later.
❌ Delaying action on arrears — time is money.
❌ DIY eviction threats — these can land you in legal hot water.

🎯 Want a Safer, Hassle-Free Option?

At Cotton Estates, we’re landlord-first. Whether you want to let privately with backup or prefer full peace of mind through our Guaranteed Rent service, we’ll help you avoid the pitfalls that catch out so many DIY landlords.

We also offer a Tenant-Find Only service with legal protections, referencing, and optional eviction cover, ideal if you still want control but don’t want to be exposed.