Housing Options
Sandwell Council House
Freeth Street
Oldbury
B69 3DQ

Tel: 0121 569 5227
Fax: 0121 569 5226
Email: housing@sandwell.gov.uk
Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 9.00am - 5.00pm, Friday 9.00am - 4.30pm

Harassment and Illegal Eviction

Harassment and illegal eviction are serious criminal offences!

What is harassment?

Harassment can include anything done by a Landlord, or any other person, which interferes with your legal rights in your accommodation.

The following acts may be construed as harassment:

• Cutting off your electricity, gas or water supply.
• Threatening to make you leave.
• Forcing you to sign an agreement reducing your rights.
• Refusing to allow friends into Your home.
• Constant visits from your landlord without notice or at unsocial hours.
• Offering you money to leave.
• Entering your home when you are not there, without your permission.
• Allowing the property to fall into disrepair to make it unfit for occupation.
• Starting building works and leaving them unfinished.

What is Illegal Eviction?

Usually if you rent a house, flat, or a bedsit and your landlord wants you to leave, your landlord will have to give you either a written Notice to Quit or a Notice of Proceedings for Possession. Your landlord then needs to obtain a Possession Order from the County Court before you have to vacate.

If your landlord, or his agent, forces you to leave your accommodation without following the correct legal procedure this may be classed as illegal eviction. The following are some examples:

• Changing the locks
• Physically throwing you out
• Stopping you from getting into parts of your home

How can HOUSING OPTIONS help?

Your local authority has the power to prosecute your landlord for criminal offences of harassment and illegal eviction. If found guilty your landlord could face a substantial fine or a prison sentence. However, for this to be successful, strong evidence is needed and the tenant would have to go to court as a witness.

What should the tenant do?

• Keep a diary, notes and photographs detailing all the events that take place
• Ask the landlord to put all communication in writing
• Keep names and addresses of people involved, especially witnesses of incidents including police officers

What can the police do?

The police can be called in an emergency or if you are being seriously harassed by your landlord or any other person. This is important if you have been threatened or assaulted or if your property has been damaged or stolen as well as if you have been locked out.

If you are experiencing any of these problems with your landlord please contact Housing Options on the above contact details.