If landlord/tenant disputes arise, the ideal outcome should always be a collaborative solution or compromise. Both parties can save significant time and money by resolving problems through negotiation, without having to escalate the dispute into a legal matter.

As such, landlords should speak to their tenants directly as the first course of action, raising any potential concerns with the hope of coming to an amicable conclusion. If this is not effective, the landlord can instead write a formal letter to the tenant to explain the problem; this has the additional benefit of ensuring that the details of the communication are recorded in case they need to be referred to later.

If the parties cannot come to an agreement, we recommend using a professional mediation service to see if a compromise can be found. If all these steps fail, you should contact a solicitor, who will be able to advise on whether legal action can be taken against the problem tenant.

If you are trying to evict a tenant from your property, it is vital to remember that you can only do so under specific circumstances, and by following the correct procedures. There are two main routes for the legal eviction of a tenant:

• Serving a Section 8 notice, which is ordinarily utilised where the tenant has violated the terms of their tenancy agreement. You will need to specify which terms they have broken, and provide them with the requisite notice period, depending on the seriousness of their infraction, before commencing court proceedings.
• Serving a Section 21 notice, also known as a "no-fault" eviction. This process allows landlords to repossess properties from residents on an assured shorthold tenancy without having to establish fault, either because their fixed-term tenancy has ended or because they have transitioned to a periodic month-to-month contract. There are numerous rules limiting the use of this method - for example, landlords must have all the necessary paperwork in place - as well as strict regulations as to when such a notice can be served.

It is vital to seek legal advice before evicting a tenant - if you fail to meet any of your obligations, the tenant may take you to court for an unlawful eviction. Additionally, the government is currently working to bring an end to no-fault Section 21 evictions, making it even more important to discuss your rights and the changing laws with a solicitor before proceeding.

Tenancy deposits are used as a way to protect landlords in case a tenant leaves a property without paying rent or causes damage to the property. However, there are now strict rules in relation to how these deposits are protected. If your landlord has not adhered to these rules, you may be eligible to make a tenancy deposit claim for compensation.

The Housing Act 2004 requires landlords and letting agents to protect tenancy deposits in one of three tenancy deposit protection schemes. These schemes are backed by the Government, and they ensure landlords do not utilise the tenant’s deposit as general income, protecting the tenant.If your landlord has not protected your tenancy deposit, you are entitled to up to three times your deposit amount.

Tenancy deposit protection schemes ensure that tenants receive their deposits back in full at the end of their tenancy, providing they have met their rental agreements and there are no disputes in relation to the condition of the property.

In order to comply with the tenancy deposit law, the landlord needs to:

• Belong to a scheme
• Register the deposit on the database of that scheme
• Pay a membership subscription and/or a deposit protection charge

There are three main tenancy deposit protection schemes that are protected by law:

• Deposit Protection Service
• My Deposits
• Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Landlords who let their properties on assured shorthold tenancy must put the tenant’s deposit into a tenancy deposit protection scheme. Failure to do so can result in a tenancy deposit claim for the tenant.