Harassment by a landlord

This content applies to England only.

Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland

A landlord who doesn't allow you to enjoy living in your home in peace, or acts in a way intended to make you leave your home or take away your rights could be guilty of harassment. Harassment by a landlord is a criminal offence.

Types of harassment

Threatening or discriminatory landlord behaviour may be harassment:

threatening or being violent towards you
intentionally moving in other tenants who cause a nuisance to you
harassing you because of your gender, race or sexuality
forcing you to sign agreements which take away your legal rights.

Unreasonable behavour by your landlord could count as harassment:

interfering with your post
entering your home when you are not there or without your permission
visiting your home regularly without warning, especially late at night
stopping you from having guests.

Landlords may be guilty of harrasment by restricting the use of your home:

allowing your home to get into such a bad state of repair that it's dangerous for you to stay
sending builders round without notice
beginning disruptive repair works and not finishing them
refusing to let you into certain parts of your home (for example, the kitchen or bathroom)
removing or restricting access to services such as gas, electricity or water, or failing to pay the bills so these services are cut off.

Harassment by a letting agent

Private landlords may employ a letting agency or managing agent to look after the property. Harassment or illegal eviction by an agent or by anyone working on behalf of the landlord is a criminal offence.

If your landlord knows how the agent is behaving, then your landlord could be held equally responsible by law. If your landlord could not have known what was happening, then the agent will be held solely responsible.

If you are being harassed or have been illegally evicted by an agent, check if it belongs to one of these trade associations:

Most trade associations have a complaints procedure and some may have a mediation service, which could help to negotiate a solution to the problem. If your agent has behaved illegally, it could be asked to leave the trade association.

Taking action against landlord harassment

If your landlord (or agent) is harassing you, you may be able to get help from the council, or take your landlord to court. Harassment does not have to be obvious or intentional before you can do something about it.

You may be able to:

ask your landlord to stop the behaviour
keep a diary, notes and photographs of what happens
ask your landlord to put all communication with you in writing
write to your landlord, saying if the harassment continues you will take legal action
have someone with you as a witness whenever you see your landlord
get together with other tenants who have the same landlord.

It's important to get support if you can - you could go to an advice centre, the police, the council, or a solicitor for help.

In an emergency, such as if you have been locked out, contact the council. There is usually a tenancy relations officer who deals with harassment and illegal eviction. If there is no-one available to help immediately or if violence has been threatened, you should also call the police.

Find out more about dealing with harassment and challenging illegal eviction.