Distraint
Distress for rent is a very old yet very effective remedy for the landlord. It allows the landlord to enter the leased premises and seize goods and sell them to satisfy arrears of rent. The landlord does not require Court permission to exercise this remedy. As distress allows the landlord to seize goods for 'rent,' it is common for modern leases to define 'rent' widely to include items such as service charges, insurance premiums and VAT in addition to the basic rent.
