The court process

1. Once we have exhausted all other courses of action - see owe rent?  - we will apply to court to take the property back.
2. You will then receive a summons to attend a court hearing (called ‘hearings in possession proceedings’).
3. If you receive a summons, you may get free legal representation  through certain schemes.
4. The court may decide to issue you with a ‘possession order’. This has the things you must do (called 'terms and conditions') to avoid being evicted.
5. If you are facing a possession order, you should seek independent legal advice. You can contact a solicitor directly, or contact a local advice agency for free advice.
6. If you do not do the things the possession order says, the court will issue a ‘warrant of possession’ to you. This means that we have the legal authority to evict you. The court will tell you the date and time that the bailiff will arrive to evict you.
7. You may apply for the warrant of possession to be suspended. You can only do this at the court, not Tower Hamlets Homes, or the council. The court will consider your case again, but may not agree to alter the decision.