If your landlord does not pay their mortgage

Read this advice if your landlord's lender wants to repossess your home.

This advice is not for tenants whose landlords are made bankrupt.

Your landlord's mortgage lender could try to repossess your rented home if your landlord:

Your landlord's lender will usually apply to court.

Sometimes you can stay in your home even if the lender takes the property from your landlord.

Step1Open letters from your landlord's lender
Open any letters addressed to 'the tenant' or 'the occupier'.
Your landlord's mortgage lender must send letters to the property:
- before a court hearing
- when they ask court bailiffs to come to the property
They must send these letters even if they do not know you live there.
Give your landlord any letters addressed to them.
Step2Contact your landlord's lender
Tell the lender that you live in the property as soon as you can.
Letter template: tell the lender about your tenancy.
Step3Check if the lender might become your landlord
You might have an 'authorised tenancy' or 'binding tenancy'. This means the mortgage lender becomes your landlord if they take over the property.
You could still be evicted but you usually get at least 4 months' notice.
When the lender becomes your landlord and how they can evict you.
Step4Ask the lender to delay your eviction
You can ask the lender for up to 2 months to find somewhere else to live if you do not have an authorised or binding tenancy.
Your landlord's lender must get a court order and ask the court bailiffs to evict you.
Letter template: ask the lender for more time.
Step5Ask the court to delay your eviction
You can ask the court for up to 2 months to find somewhere else to live if you do not have an authorised or binding tenancy.
You could do this either:
- at your landlord's repossession hearing
- when you find out that bailiffs are coming
How to ask the court to delay your eviction.

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Last updated: 1 May 2026