Landlord and Tenant Disputes

When landlord and tenant disputes arise, it is often because the communication between the parties involved has broken down.

The law has seen significant changes in recent years, with tenants having more rights and landlords having more obligations to their tenants.

At Taylor Bracewell, our first approach for property disputes, whether we are dealing with a landlord or tenant, is to assess the situation and lay out any options for resolving the dispute between both parties.

What are a landlord’s duties?

Recent legislation has put in place more protection for tenants. As well as having a tenant’s deposit scheme in place, landlords must also have:

1. Consent from the mortgage lender to rent the property out (if there is a mortgage on your property)
2. The correct insurance for a tenant-occupied property
3. A Gas Safety Certificate
4. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
5. A ‘how to rent guide’ that they give to their tenants
6. A licence if it is an area of compulsory licensing.

The landlord needs to be aware of any changes in the law, as failing to comply could lead to the landlord having to pay damages to the tenant or even face criminal sanctions.

We encourage all current and potential landlords to speak to us before granting a tenancy agreement or allowing a tenant to occupy your property.

A landlord should also seek advice before making any changes to the tenancy agreement terms or seeking possession of the property. The best way a landlord can avoid landlord and tenant disputes is by having all the correct procedures in place at the outset so that if a tenant does bring a claim, the landlord will know they are already compliant.

What are the different types of landlord and tenant disputes?

We have acted on both sides in many landlord and tenant disputes and have experience in dealing with:

• New tenancies – Residential rental agreements that start on or after the legislative date.
• Tenancy renewals – Formal rental agreements between a landlord and a tenant that extend a rental contract for a new fixed term before the current one expires.

Possession notices – Formal written legal documents served by a landlord to a tenant, signalling the start of the eviction process.

Please note Section 21 Notice’s are set to be abolished on the 1^st May 2026. The last day to serve a Section 21 Notice is the 30^th April 2026. The last day for court proceedings to be issued under a Section 21 Notice is the 31^st July 2026.

How we can support you

At Taylor Bracewell, our landlord and tenant disputes team have experience working on both sides of multiple cases.

We appreciate the sensitivity and, often urgent, need to get matters resolved quickly. Therefore, it is our policy to make sure that you are always aware of the options, process and likely outcomes in your specific case.

Call our law firm in Sheffield and Doncaster today for advice on landlord and tenant disputes:

0114 272 1884 (Sheffield) or 01302 965250 (Doncaster).

We can also help you with any of the following: