Is your landlord harassing you?
Pair of hands holding a small green house
Information about what to do if you feel your landlord is harassing you.
Harassment is a Criminal Offence
What is harassment?
Many private tenants experience harassment. The law says that harassment means anything done by your landlord or someone acting on their behalf to force you to give up where you live. Harassment can also be something which interferes with your peace and comfort which you are entitled to whilst living in the property.
Harassment takes many forms. Some typical examples include:
- Unannounced visits
- Phone calls at unsociable hours
- Disconnection of services i.e. gas/electricity/water
- Threats of eviction due to rent arrears caused by delays in processing housing benefit claims
- The landlord fails to fulfil their repairing obligation's to the property
- Landlord going into the rooms without permission when the tenant is out of the property.
- Illegal eviction activities such as: Changing locks, physically throwing you out, stopping you from using part of your home.
What to do if you feel you are being harassed by your Landlord?
Harassment is notoriously difficult to prove, tenants who are experiencing such problems should always:
- Keep a diary of events, photographs etc detailing all events that take place.
- Keep notes, names, addresses, telephone numbers and reference numbers of all incidents that have been reported to the various agencies e.g. police, environmental health or other agencies.
- Keep copies of all correspondence to and from the landlord or their agent.
- Keep notes of all telephone conversation's/meetings with the landlord or their agent.
- Take descriptions of all people that visit the property.
- Try and have someone with you when you deal with or see the landlord, for both support and as a witness.
- If the harassment continues, write to the landlord or their agent telling them that you may be forced to leave your home and that you will be seeking legal advice.
- If you believe that the landlord or their agent may injure you or damage your property, contact the local police station and explain the problem to them.
The recording of information like that listed above is important as it will assist your case should you decide to take legal action against your landlord or their agent at a later date.
The Council can prosecute landlords who harass or illegally evict their tenants. Landlords can be fined up to £5,000 and/or imprisoned for 6 months. In addition tenants may also be able to claim compensation.
Tenants who are faced with harassment, or whose landlord is illegally forcing them to move out, can contact Housing Services on 01253 658680, where an officer will provide you with support and advice. If you would prefer to speak to someone other than a member of the Council there are relevant organisation's that can provide you with support and advice. The addresses and telephone numbers are listed overleaf.
For Housing Advice Contact:
Fylde Borough Council
Housing Services
Town Hall
Lytham St Anne's
FY8 1LW
Tel: 01253 658658
Shelter, Housing Aid Centre
35a-35c North Albert Street
Fleetwood
FY7 6AJ
Tel: 01253 874324
Face to Face
Homelessness Project
14 St. David's Road South
St Anne's
FY8 1TB
Tel: 01253 720270
Citizens Advice Bureau
Council Office
Moor Street
Kirkham
Preston
PR4 2AU
Tel: 01772 682588
Opening Times:
Mon/Tues/Thurs 10am – 4pm
Wednesday 10am – 2pm
Friday 10am – 3pm
