Dealing with landlord harassment

If you are having to deal with your landlord harassing you there are a number of practical steps that you can follow.

Keep records of harassment

It is helpful to keep a record of what has been happening. The record will be useful if you have to take further action against a landlord at a later date.

The record could include:

• a diary of what is happening, including the time, date and place where any incident took place and a short description of what happened
• photographs of any damage the landlord has caused to the property or your belongings
• short descriptions of any incidents by anyone who witnessed them
• details of who you reported the incident to and when.

Put agreements in writing

It may help to make all contact that you have with your landlord more formal. This can protect you by giving you space to think about what you want to say or do, and by providing you with evidence about what has happened - useful in case of a dispute in the future.

The following things may help:

• only communicate with your landlord in writing - keep copies of every letter that you send
• ask your landlord to only deal with you in writing - keep copies of all letters you receive
• if you have a conversation with your landlord, follow this up with a letter that confirms what was said and what was agreed.

Document and witness meetings with your landlord

Have a friend or adviser with you whenever you have to deal with your landlord in person. Make a note of what is said and agreed, and follow up your meeting with a letter setting out what was agreed.

Report incidents of harassment

It is important that you report any incidents of harassment to the local council tenancy relations or similar service and an advice centre. Report any serious or violent incidents to the police as well. This will create an independent record of what is happening. These organisations may also be able to help you to resolve the problems.

Ask the police to help

Although harassment and illegal eviction are both criminal offences, it can often be difficult to get the police to help you to prevent them from taking place. There is often some confusion about the law, and what responsibilities the police have.

However, they will usually agree to come to the property to prevent a breach of the peace from taking place. This could be helpful if you need to get back into the property, or reclaim your belongings. An adviser may be able to explain the situation to the police, and clarify the ways in which they can help.

If you have difficulty getting the police to help you, or if they come to your home and mistakenly help your landlord to evict you illegally, you can complain to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which will investigate your complaint.

Get together with other tenants

If you live in shared accommodation it is possible that your landlord is also harassing other tenants in the property. If this is the case, then you could all join together to form a residents' association and approach the landlord as a group. You will have more bargaining power if you act together and your landlord will not be able to single out one person. You can also provide witness statements for other tenants if any incidents occur.

Some types of shared accommodation are known as houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and councils have extra powers to take action against landlords of HMOs. This might apply to you if you live in a bedsit, a house or flat shared by several households, a hostel or a bed and breakfast hotel.

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