Your Landlord Is Harassing You
Landlord harassment — including entering without notice, cutting off utilities, intimidation, and threats — is both a criminal offence and a civil wrong. You can report it to the police and your local authority, and claim civil damages.
Quick Answer
Harassment by a landlord with the intention of making you leave is a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, s.1(3). It is also actionable as a civil wrong under the Housing Act 1988, ss.27–28, giving rise to potentially significant damages. Keep a detailed written log of every incident and report it to your local council's tenancy relations officer.
Full Explanation
The Protection from Eviction Act 1977, s.1(3) makes it a criminal offence for a landlord — or anyone acting on their behalf — to do acts likely to interfere with the peace or comfort of the occupier or their household, or to withdraw or withhold services, with the intention of causing the occupier to give up occupation or to refrain from exercising any right or pursuing any remedy. Section 1(3A) creates an additional offence where the landlord knows or has reasonable cause to believe their acts are likely to have that effect, removing the need to prove specific intent.
Common acts of harassment include: entering the property without notice or consent (a landlord generally has no right to enter without at least 24 hours' notice except in genuine emergency), cutting off gas, electricity, or water, removing the tenant's belongings, intimidating phone calls or visits, verbal abuse, and refusing to carry out repairs in order to make the property uninhabitable.
In parallel with the criminal offences, the Housing Act 1988, ss.27–28 create a statutory civil tort. Damages are assessed as the difference in value of the landlord's interest in the property with and without the tenant's occupation — in a competitive rental market this can be very significant. You can also claim general damages for distress, inconvenience, and any financial loss caused by the harassment.
The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 provides an additional civil and criminal remedy if the landlord's conduct constitutes a course of harassment (at least two incidents amounting to harassment). This can also support an application for an injunction to prevent future harassment.
Document everything. Keep a log with the date, time, description, and witnesses for every incident. Preserve any written communications (texts, emails, letters). If utilities are cut off, photograph meters and contact the utility company to record the disconnection. Report each incident to your local authority's tenancy relations officer, who has enforcement powers. Consider also reporting to the police under s.1(3) or the Protection from Harassment Act.
Legal Basis
- §Protection from Eviction Act 1977, ss.1(3) and 1(3A) (landlord harassment — criminal)
- §Housing Act 1988, ss.27–28 (civil damages for unlawful eviction and harassment)
- §Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (course of harassment — civil and criminal)
- §Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, s.11 (implied repairing obligations)
What To Do
Keep a Detailed Written Log
Record every incident immediately: date, time, what happened, what was said, any witnesses. This log is essential evidence for criminal prosecution, civil proceedings, and any injunction application. Store it safely — backed up to a cloud service if possible.
Report to the Tenancy Relations Officer
Contact your local council housing department and ask for the tenancy relations officer (TRO). TROs have powers to investigate harassment, issue warning letters, and bring criminal prosecutions against landlords. This is often the most effective first step.
Report to the Police if the Conduct Is Criminal
Contact the police if the landlord is threatening you, assaulting you, or cutting off utilities. Cite the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, s.1(3). Ask for a crime reference number. If the conduct is a sustained course of conduct, also cite the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
Seek an Injunction Against the Landlord
If the harassment is continuing, apply for an injunction under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 or the general civil jurisdiction. A court can prohibit the landlord from entering the property, contacting you, or engaging in specified acts of harassment. Shelter's legal helpline (0808 800 4444) can advise on emergency applications.
Consider a Civil Claim for Damages
Bring a civil claim under Housing Act 1988, ss.27–28 and/or the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 for damages including financial loss, distress, and any costs incurred. A housing law solicitor can advise — you may be eligible for legal aid.
Important Deadlines
Important Warnings
Do not retaliate or engage in a confrontation with the landlord — this could undermine your civil claim and potentially lead to a counterclaim.
If you leave because of the harassment without a court order, you may lose any damages claim based on the landlord's unlawful eviction; try to stay and document if it is safe to do so.
Harassment claims can be complex; the burden is on you to prove intent or knowledge under s.1(3)/(3A) — your log of incidents is critical.