Illegal and retaliatory eviction and harassment

Sometimes, when a tenant reports a repair or a problem, a landlord may give them notice to quit – whether or not they accept responsibility for the repair or undertake it.  This became known as retaliatory eviction.  Now, if a tenant has acted reasonably and reported a repair to their landlord, any subsequent notice can be postponed if the Council become involved resulting in the issue of a type of enforcement notice.  The notice is suspended for 6 months, as the linked guidance explains.  Note* - this applies to tenancies commencing on or after 1st October 2015. 

Tip* - put the matter in writing to the landlord so that you can prove you have acted responsibly – either a letter (keep a copy), email or text – and BE POLITE, so as not to escalate the matter into a dispute.  Your landlord should want to know about problems before they become bigger and more expensive problems – try not to blame or accuse or criticise, keep it friendly.

Last updated Tuesday, 13th February 2018

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