Housing

You should be able to live in your home without harassment or threats. The Protection from Eviction Act 1977 protects people living in residential property by making harassment and illegal eviction a criminal offence, and by enabling anyone who is harassed or illegally evicted to claim damages through the civil Court.

The Law makes it an offence to:

• Do acts likely to interfere with the peace and comfort of the tenant or anyone living at the property; or
• Persistently withdraw or withhold services for which the tenant has a reasonable need to live in the premises as a home e.g. electricity, water or gas
• Forcefully evict a tenant from a rented property without a Court Order for possession enforced by the Bailiffs.

For further information or should your landlord harass you to try to make you leave, or threaten to evict you illegally, see the page Where can I get advice about my tenancy for the contact details of organisations which can give you help and legal advice.