Evicting a problem tenant costs landlords an average of £31,000

Research by leading London letting agent Benham and Reeves has found that, on average, it costs landlords over £31,000 to evict a rogue tenant.

Falling victim of unscrupulous tenants can be a landlord’s worst nightmare. Dealing with the situation is not only time-consuming and stressful, it can also end up costing thousands of pounds.

Leading letting agent Benham & Reeves recently carried out a study to find out just how much it costs landlords to evict problem tenants.

The study shows that based on the UK’s average rent price of £679, the average cost of evicting a rogue tenant in the UK adds up to a whopping £31,886. This figure includes lost rent, estimated to cost around £6,111, redecorating and fixing up the property, at £22,775, and legal fees of £3,000.

On average, it found that the lengthy process also took around nine months to complete.

These costs shoot up even higher in areas where property is more expensive. The study found that the average cost to landlords in London is £41,318, whilst those in prime London locations like Kensington and Chelsea could be facing bills closer to £54,647 to evict a tenant.

Mike Clarke

Head of Enforcement
Clearway

Mike Clarke

The £31,000 average cost reflects not just legal fees, but lost rental income, property damage, and the lengthy court process-many landlords are simply unprepared for the financial and administrative burden of removing a problem tenant.

Marc von Grundherr of Benham & Reeves said: “Rogue tenants are a landlord’s worst nightmare and apart from the stress and time consumed dealing with them, the financial impact can be crippling.”

Need help evicting a tenant quickly and cost-effectively?

At Debt Squared our eviction services can be used to evict tenants from either residential or commercial properties. We enlist the help of reputable solicitors for IPO applications, which are then served by our professional and experienced enforcement agents.

For free advice from our experts or to begin the eviction process today, give our team a call.

Written by Mike Clarke

Commercial Enforcement Director

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Mike is an experienced commercial enforcement director and former Head of Credit Control, with responsibility for managing circa 5,000 commercial tenants. With over 25 years in the industry, he has built a strong reputation for his detailed knowledge of enforcement processes, statutory requirements, and the legal and operational complexities involved in recovering debt and resolving challenging cases across the sector.

Having worked through a wide range of enforcement scenarios over the course of his career, Mike is widely regarded as the go-to person for technical matters, legislative interpretation, and practical problem-solving. His experience covers the management of complex commercial cases, debt recovery strategy, compliance-led enforcement activity, and the application of relevant regulations and procedure within the enforcement environment.

As a certified Enforcement Agent and Head of Enforcement at Clearway, Mike leads the department with a hands-on, open-door approach, ensuring high professional standards, operational consistency, and a strong focus on compliance, service delivery, and client outcomes. He also takes great pride in coaching, training, and mentoring his teams, helping them develop their technical knowledge, confidence, and long-term careers within the enforcement industry at Clearway.