Section 21

Robbo66

Whilst the s21 is invalid, you have had your deposit back and yes you could just stay put and make the landlords life difficult even hold him to ransom but why stoop to his level, take the moral high ground and look for somewhere else to live. Find somewhere that meets the current date or if that's not possible just find a suitable place and advise the landlord of the date you will be vacating. I just don't see the point in making life difficult, whether you go in October, November or January you will have to leave at some point and just remember you will need the Landlord to give you a reference. Sometimes its just not worth the hassle to be difficult even when you are in the right.

AdrianC

If you choose not to follow the (invalid) s21 you've been given, then the landlord's next step is to seek possession via a court.
There are normally delays of several months.
The courts are not currently accepting claims, and haven't been since March.
Even if they started tomorrow, I doubt your case would be heard this side of next autumn, if not into 2022.

Simply, you have the ball in your court. If your soon-to-be-ex landlord wants to make very sure that you are out in time for the auction, he needs to appeal to your better nature... And that usually means a financial inducement of some kind.

macman

As above. Your LL's clueless, amateur incompetence is not your problem. It's not up to you to point out whether or why the S21 is invalid-you are not his lawyer. You are not obliged to do anything until he seeks a possession order. At that point, turn up, inform the judge that the S21 is invalid for reasons ABC (with supporting paperwork), and the application will be thrown out. Rinse and repeat until he gets it right.
Alternatively, if you do want to leave, negotiate with him to buy you out. You hold all the cards in this game.
There is no need and no point in you contacting the Housing Officer, CAB or anyone else. Your rights in this situation are absolutely clear. If he goes to auction and sells it 'with vacant possession' then he is a fool and will be sued by the buyers. In the meantime, they inherit your tenancy and it continues as before, with you paying your rent to them.

newsgroupmonkey_

Whilst all this advice is good, the clueless landlord will likely pay some local yobs to kick you out and dump your stuff on the street and change the locks. Yes this is illegal. Yes, they can't do that. But you're in a less strong position when you're sat on the street with your possessions around you.

Personally, I think you need to badger the housing officer to pull the right strings. The Landlord will poo himself once he realises that due process needs to be followed.

TomServo

Thanks for all of your responses. 

I contacted the auctioneers to advise them that the property is occupied, and is not vacated as their listing details. 

The listing has now been updated to being sold with a tenant in situ.

If anyone decides to buy the property, they'll now do so knowing that it's already tenanted and they'll become my new landlord, for now anyway. 

TomServo

4 days after posting the above, I found a new home and moved in shortly after. A year on and I've never looked back! Never heard from my landlord again.

Then one day, a few weeks ago, whilst the TV was playing all to itself in the corner of the room, out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of something familiar on the screen.

My old house, on Homes Under The Hammer. 

Surreal.

Made me appreciate even more, where I am now.

Pixie5740

TomServo said:

4 days after posting the above, I found a new home and moved in shortly after. A year on and I've never looked back! Never heard from my landlord again.

Then one day, a few weeks ago, whilst the TV was playing all to itself in the corner of the room, out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of something familiar on the screen.

My old house, on Homes Under The Hammer. 

Surreal.

Made me appreciate even more, where I am now.

All is well that ends well