Can the council help?

This content applies to England only.

Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. This page applies to England only. Get advice relating to Scotland

Your local council may be able to help you deal with your landlord if s/he is harassing you or you've been illegally evicted. They can do this in a number of ways.

Who should I contact at the council?

Your local council should have a worker who can help you if your landlord is harassing you, or if you have been illegally evicted. In many local councils, this worker is called a tenancy relations officer. In areas where there is no specific worker, the housing advice team should be able to help you.

Can they help me negotiate with my landlord?

If you are being harassed by your landlord, you should report any incidents to your local council, so that there is an official record of what has been happening. The council may contact your landlord to explain her/his responsibilities and your rights. The council may be able to mediate between you and your landlord to try and sort the problem out.

If you have been illegally evicted from your home, the council may contact your landlord and try to negotiate a way for you to return to your home.

If your landlord is the local council, you will not be able to get help from the tenancy relations officer or the council's housing advice centre. You should contact Citizens Advice, a Housing Aid Centre or a solicitor instead. Use our advice services directory to find one.

Can they help me get back into my home?

Sometimes, the council's tenancy relations officer may be able to help you re-enter your home.

Will the council prosecute my landlord?

Although harassment and illegal eviction are both criminal offences, it is usually the council, not the police, who decide whether to prosecute a landlord.

Although councils do take landlords to court, it is quite rare. It is more likely to happen if the harassment has been very serious or if you were evicted from a home where you had strong tenancy rights (such as a regulated or assured tenancy agreement).

In some cases, the council might prosecute a landlord who they know has often behaved in this way with different tenants. The council will need good evidence in order to succeed in a prosecution, and this will include detailed statements from you, and anyone else who has witnessed the harassment or illegal eviction.

If the council decides to prosecute your landlord, it will bring criminal charges. Your landlord may be fined by the court or, in very serious cases, given a prison sentence. The council can also ask the court to award you compensation. The compensation will be to cover any costs you have had to pay, such as rent for emergency accommodation or the cost of replacing your belongings. If you would like to claim damages for stress or inconvenience, or because your landlord has broken your contract, you will need to bring a separate civil action in court.

What if I live in an HMO?

If you live in a bedsit, a house or flat shared by several households, a hostel or a bed and breakfast hotel, there are extra laws that can protect you, in addition to the general laws on harassment and illegal eviction. Properties where a number of people live together like this are legally known as houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). If you live in an HMO and your health, safety or welfare is at risk because of inadequate management, bad conditions, overcrowding or harassment, the council has the power to take action against the landlord. In very serious circumstances, the council can take over management of the property from your landlord. If you live in an HMO and are experiencing harassment, get advice from a housing aid centre, a Citizens Advice bureau or a solicitor.

What if I am homeless?

Councils have a legal duty to help some people who have nowhere to stay and are in priority need. The rules are very complicated, but you may be entitled to accommodation. Use our free online assessment to find out what you might be entitled to.

What if the council won't help me?

If you don't feel that the council has treated you as it should, you can complain to the local government ombudsman. The ombudsman will investigate your complaint and, if s/he agrees with it, can recommend that the council apologises and changes its procedures to avoid similar problems in the future. The ombudsman can also recommend that councils pay a small amount of compensation if this is appropriate.