Claim back your rent if your private landlord breaks the law

Summary

You should first check if your landlord followed the correct legal process to evict you. You were evicted illegally if for example your landlord: * stopped you getting into your home or parts of it Your landlord might have also harassed you when they evicted you illegally. Harassment happens if your landlord tries to force you to end your tenancy before you have to. For example, it’s harassment if they cut your electricity to try to make you leave. You can apply for a rent repayment order even if you didn’t leave because of the harassment. If you think your landlord evicted you illegally or harassed you, talk to an adviser. There are different rules depending on what your landlord did. Your local council might have given your landlord an improvement notice or a prohibition order. The council should have also sent you a copy. If you think your landlord didn’t follow them, you should tell the council. Find your local council on GOV.UK. Ask the council if they can confirm that your landlord broke the law. For example, they might have sent the landlord a fine or warning letter after the improvement notice. The council might visit the property, for example if they want to check the.

Key information

• changed the locks while you were out
• physically removed you from your home
• stopped you getting into your home or parts of it
• to give you a copy of the order
• to confirm if the landlord didn’t follow the order within the deadline
• what actions they took or will take against the landlord
• it’s in an area where the council has a ‘selective licensing scheme’ - to find out, check your local council’s website or contact them
• it’s a ‘house in multiple occupation’ (HMO)
• if the landlord needs a licence for the property
• if and when they applied for and got the licence - if they applied for a licence, they stopped breaking the law at that point
• they didn’t give you a written statement within [required time]
• they tried to end your tenancy without giving you a valid notice

Practical guidance

• Source: Claim back your rent if your private landlord breaks the law

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