Eviction and harassment

Illegal eviction

Evicting a tenant of privately rented accommodation requires the landlord to serve notice and obtain a possession order from the county court.  The length of notice will depend on the type of tenancy.  In some cases, the notice will need to be served in a specific form, e.g. a written letter.  An act of illegal eviction occurs when a tenant is denied access to their home without the proper legal process being taken.

It is illegal to evict a tenant by depriving him of a legal right to occupy a property or part of a property, e.g. by changing the locks while he is out.

  
Harassment

It is an offence to harass a tenant by disrupting his peace or comfort, knowing this behaviour is likely to make the tenant leave, e.g. cutting electric, gas or water supplies persistently.

In the event of harassment, it must be shown that the landlord, his agent, or other perpetrator, is likely to have known that their conduct would cause the tenant to leave.

  
For more information on your rights and responsibilities as a privately renting tenant, download our leaflet from the menu on the right.