Also @peeblebeach2020 would it matter to you if the tenants had very young children, and literally had nowhere else to go when they get back and find the locks changed. Not sure I could be that ruthless, regardless of the rights and wrongs of the situation.
I absolutely see where you are coming from and take your points, but the scenario you outline is unlikely to lead to a situation where you simply regain your property immediately after six months and then just wait to see how any process might unfold for the next two years.
I could outline a large number of alternative scenarios that could happen and leave you regretting your actions.
- Tenant comes back unexpectedly to find you going through their belongings.
- Tenant breaks in and changes the locks at the first available opportunity
- Tenant has friends /neighbours/ relatives locally who can cause havoc, damage or just make your life a misery
- Something happens to tenant or children while homeless after you lock them out
- Tenants call over to your house while your there to get their house back and a confrontation ensues - anything can happen
- Tenants property gets lost / destroyed while being packed up / removed
- Police arrest you for breaking and entering, trespass, stealing property, intimidation, criminal damage, harressment etc etc
- Tenant goes to newspapers, social media - you get cast as total b@stard throwing helpless children on the streets to die
- legal issues mean you can't sell the house when you want/need to
- new tenants get harressed when they move in
Might all go smooth and the above is over dramatic, but the point is that there are so many risks out there that you can't manage once you open that can of worms