Step 2: write down why you’re challenging the eviction

This advice applies to Wales. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Scotland

The court will send you a defence form and copies of the documents your landlord has filled in. This includes the ‘particulars of claim’ which gives details about your landlord’s case against you.

It’s a good idea to get legal advice as soon as you can. If you need help, speak to an adviser at any time - the process can be complicated.

You should reply to the court as soon as possible - this is called your ‘defence’. Your defence should arrive at the court within 14 days of receiving the court papers.

There are different defence forms depending on your situation. You’ll either get form N11, N11B or N11R  - you can see which it is in the bottom left corner. You might have to answer separate questions or explain your situation in one space. Make sure you fill in all the sections on your form.

Start by writing these details, if the court hasn’t filled them in:

  • your full name and address in the ‘defendant’ section of the form

  • the name and address of your landlord in the ‘claimant’ section of the form

  • the name of the court and the claim number - you can get these from the copy of your landlord’s claim form

Say what happened

Say why you disagree with the eviction and what you want, for example to stay in your home. Give as much detail as you can to explain what happened. You’ll need to use the evidence you’ve collected to prove these facts in court.

You should also include details of any other reasons why you don't agree with the eviction - for example that the notice isn’t valid. The kind of argument you can make will depend on your type of tenancy and the reasons for your eviction.

If you've got an N11 form

Explain what happened in the box that starts 'I dispute the claimant’s claim because:'

You have to put all your arguments here, both discrimination and any non-discrimination reasons you have to challenge the eviction.

You also need to fill in the rest of the form. If you’re not sure what to put, you can see an example of a completed N11 form 1.14 MB .

If you can’t view the example and you’re not sure what to put on your form you can get help from your nearest Citizens Advice.

Don’t just copy this example - the facts of your case will be different. If you copy details that don't apply to your case it could be rejected by the court.

If you find it difficult to use the defence form, write what you want to say on a piece of paper instead. Write your case number on the piece of paper – you can find your case number on the claim form.

If you've got an N11R form

Explain what happened by answering the questions under the heading 'Disputing the claim' (questions 2 to 6). You also need to explain your defence under question 29.

Make sure when you answer these questions you also mention any other reasons you have to challenge the eviction apart from discrimination.

You also need to fill in the rest of the form. If you’re not sure what to put, you can see an example of a completed N11R form 4.91 MB .

If you can’t view the example and you’re not sure what to put on your form you can get help from your nearest Citizens Advice.

Don’t just copy this example - the facts of your case will be different. If you copy details that don't apply to your case it could be rejected by the court.

If you've got an N11B form

You need to put your discrimination defence in the box after question 11, where it says: ‘If there is some other reason, not covered above, why you say the claimant is not entitled to recover possession of the property, please explain it here’.

You should also put any other reasons you have to challenge the eviction that you haven’t already mentioned somewhere else in the form.

You also need to fill in the rest of the form. If you’re not sure what to put, you can  see an example of a completed N11B form 3.06 MB .

If you can’t view the example and you’re not sure what to put on your form you can get help from your nearest Citizens Advice.

Don’t just copy this example - the facts of your case will be different. If you copy details that don't apply to your case it could be rejected by the court.

If your landlord’s ‘particulars of claim’ is in numbered paragraphs, use the same structure for your defence - take each paragraph and respond to it. You should say which parts of the paragraph you agree with and what parts you disagree with. If you don't respond to a point, the court might assume you agree with it and you won't be able to disagree with it later.

If you’re not sure if you agree or disagree with something, put down that the paragraph is ‘neither admitted nor denied’. This means you don’t know if it’s true or not and your landlord will have to prove it in court.

Make sure you mention:

  • why you think you were discriminated against - you’ll need to give the protected characteristic

  • all the types of discrimination you’re claiming - you can check if you’re not sure 

  • the effect it’s had on you - this could be money you’ve lost or the emotional impact

  • other reasons for challenging the eviction, for example if the notice asking you to leave wasn’t valid

If it's direct discrimination

It's best to mention your comparator - work out who the comparator is.

Direct discrimination is covered in section 13 of the Equality Act 2010.

If it's indirect discrimination

You also need to mention the provision, criterion or practice which is discriminatory and why it puts you and other people with your protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage compared to other people.

If you’re not sure you can read more about how to show your evidence.

Indirect discrimination is covered by section 19 of the Equality Act 2010.

If it's discrimination arising from a disability

You also need to explain how you’re being treated unfavourably because of something arising in consequence of your disability.

If you’re not sure you can read more about how to show your evidence.

Discrimination arising from disability is covered in section 15 of the Equality Act 2010.

Describing the circumstances

You need to say which part of the law covers your circumstances - it might be more than one.

You need to say you’re defending your landlord’s claim under section 35 of the Equality Act 2010. You should also say the discrimination happened during the ‘management of premises’. This is the legal term that covers most things landlords do, like collecting rent and dealing with repairs.

You’ll then need to say what happened and why it was against the law.

If the discrimination is about a failure to make reasonable adjustments

You should also say your landlord failed to make reasonable adjustments under sections 20, 21 and 36 and Schedule 4 of the Equality Act 2010 and they’re a ‘controller of the premises’. This is someone who has control of the property and could be the same person who rents it out or manages it.

You’ll need to explain how their failure is linked to the eviction. 

You should say what put you at a substantial disadvantage and how. It might have been a:

  • provision

  • criterion

  • practice

  • feature of the property

  • lack of an auxiliary aid

For example, your landlord might have refused to help you to complete an online payment form because of their policy and this is what caused you to get into rent arrears.

You’ll also need to say when you asked the controller to make the reasonable adjustment.

If you’re making a counterclaim for compensation because your landlord failed to make reasonable adjustments you’ll also need to say they’re a controller and you’re counterclaiming under sections 20, 21 and 36 and Schedule 4 of the Equality Act 2010.

If you run out of space

You can write more on a separate page if you can’t fit all the details into the box. Mention in the box that you’ve attached the details - you can write 'see attached sheets'.

Write:

  • ‘defence ’ or ‘defence and counterclaim’ at the top

  • the name of the case - you can copy this from the form your landlord filled in and it will include your name and your landlord’s

  • the claim number  and the name of the court - you can copy this from the form your landlord filled in

Write which part of the law covers your claim

You should say that you’re defending the eviction under ‘Part 4 of the Equality Act 2010’.

Next, write which type of discrimination happened:

What you’re claiming for Which part of the Equality Act 2010 it comes under
What you’re claiming for

Direct discrimination

Which part of the Equality Act 2010 it comes under

section 13

What you’re claiming for

Discrimination because of a disability

Which part of the Equality Act 2010 it comes under

section 15

What you’re claiming for

Indirect discrimination

Failure to make reasonable adjustments

Which part of the Equality Act 2010 it comes under

section 19

sections 20, 21 and 36 and Schedule 4

What you’re claiming for

Harassment

Victimisation

Which part of the Equality Act 2010 it comes under

section 26

section 27

If you’re counterclaiming

You’ll need to explain the reason for your counterclaim. For example you can say you’re claiming compensation for discrimination and this will be used to pay off some or all of the rent arrears. The legal name for this is ‘offsetting’ the rent arrears.

You can ask for the discrimination to stop by saying you want an ‘injunction’. This is a way of asking the court to order your landlord to either do something or stop doing something. For example, you might get an injunction saying your landlord has to make an adjustment to your home.  

Deciding how much money to ask for

You can ask for:

  • money if you’ve been upset or hurt by the discrimination - this is known as ‘injury to feelings’

  • money to cover any you’ve lost as a result of the discrimination

  • compensation for personal injury - you’ll have to prove you had the injury and that it was caused by the discrimination

  • particularly bad behaviour by the other side - this is called ‘aggravated damages’

You’ll need to work out how much money to claim.

Sign the ‘statement of truth’

Make sure you sign the ‘statement of truth’ at the bottom of the form. This means you agree that everything you’ve written is true.

If you’ve used an extra sheet with the defence form, write another statement of truth there and sign it. Copy the wording from the main defence form.

Important

If you wrote anything that isn’t true

The court might say you tried to unfairly affect the outcome of your case - this is called 'being in contempt of court'.

If you’re found to be in contempt of court you could go to prison for up to 2 years or get a fine - or both.

Example of an additional defence form and counterclaim

If you’re not sure what to write, you can  see an example defence form and counterclaim 77.7 KB . If you can’t access the document you can see this version, but this doesn’t show the formatting the court uses.

If you don’t use the format given in the court rules, your case could be affected negatively. You can get help from your nearest Citizens Advice if you’re worried about formatting your document.

This example deals with both indirect discrimination and discrimination arising from a disability. It also deals with the public sector equality duty.

In this case, the landlord is trying to evict the tenant because he has a rent debt. If you need more detailed advice and guidance, you can get more help

If you’re acting as a client’s legal representative you should refer to them as ‘the Defendant’ in the defence instead of using the first person.

Don’t just copy this example - the facts may not suit your specific situation. 

Go to step 3.

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Page last reviewed on 28 January 2019