Harassment and illegal eviction

Support

The Housing Aid Team provides free expert, impartial and confidential advice to private tenants living in the borough who have problems with their tenancies, including illegal eviction and harassment.

Contact: email advice.housing@islington.gov.uk or phone 020 7527 2000.

If violence is used or threatened, call the police on 999.

Illegal eviction

This is when the landlord or somebody else excludes a residential occupier without a court order. This is often done by changing the locks, but sometimes violent or threatening behaviour is used.

Harassment

This is when the landlord or somebody else deliberately interferes with your ability to live in your home in peace. Harassment can include:

• physical threats
• constant visits to your home to demand that you leave
• disconnection of electricity or gas
• deliberate damage to your belongings

Protection from eviction

If your landlord (or anyone else) is trying to force you out of your home without a court order, they are probably acting illegally. It is a criminal offence to harass or unlawfully evict someone from their home. The council has powers to prosecute offenders under the Protection from Eviction Act. In very serious cases, landlords have been sent to jail.

Although not everyone who pays rent is protected under this law, most are and the Housing Advice Team can advise you about this. Even if you have rent arrears or your tenancy agreement has expired, the law will still protect you from illegal eviction and harassment.