Illegal eviction: what to do immediately

If your landlord has changed the locks, removed your belongings, cut off your utilities, or forced you out without a court order, this is illegal eviction. It is a criminal offence. Here is what to do in the next few hours and days.

What counts as illegal eviction?

A landlord cannot legally evict you without going through the court process. Illegal eviction includes:

• Changing the locks while you are out
• Physically removing you or your belongings from the property
• Cutting off gas, electricity, or water to force you to leave
• Threatening or intimidating you into leaving
• Removing doors, windows, or fixtures to make the property uninhabitable
• Entering the property and refusing to leave, or occupying it in a way that prevents you from using it

These acts are unlawful regardless of whether you owe rent, regardless of what your tenancy agreement says, and regardless of whether the landlord owns the property.

Step 1: Call the police

Call 999 if there is an immediate threat to your safety. If you have been locked out, call 101.

Explain that you have been illegally evicted and ask the police to attend. They have the power to assist you to re-enter the property and to arrest the landlord for criminal harassment or illegal eviction.

The police do not always respond promptly to tenancy disputes, but insist that illegal eviction is a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 and ask to speak to a duty sergeant if necessary.

Step 2: Contact your council's out-of-hours team

Every council has a duty to investigate illegal eviction. Many councils have a 24-hour emergency line or an out-of-hours housing team.

Search for your council's name plus "illegal eviction" or "housing emergency." The council has powers to help you re-enter the property and can take action against the landlord.

Step 3: Contact Shelter

Shelter has an emergency housing advice line: 0808 800 4444 (freephone, available 24 hours a day for urgent situations).

They can advise you on your legal position, help you contact the right agencies, and explain how to apply for emergency housing if you cannot return.

Step 4: Gather evidence

Document everything as it happens:

• Photograph the changed locks, removed belongings, or damage
• Take a screenshot or photograph of any messages from the landlord
• Note the date, time, and exactly what the landlord said or did
• Get the names and numbers of any witnesses

This evidence matters both for police action and for any civil claim you bring later.

Step 5: Get back in

If the property is still your home and you have a current tenancy, you are entitled to re-enter. You can apply to the county court for an injunction requiring the landlord to give you access, this can sometimes be granted within hours.

You will need legal help to do this quickly. Contact a housing solicitor or your local Citizens Advice. Legal Aid may be available if you are on a low income, search for a housing solicitor with a Legal Aid contract on the Law Society's Find a Solicitor tool.

What happens to the landlord?

Illegal eviction is a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. The landlord can be prosecuted by the council and can face:

• An unlimited fine
• Up to 2 years in prison

You can also bring a civil claim for damages. Courts can award substantial sums, including special damages for the cost of alternative accommodation, lost belongings, and general damages for distress and the unlawful eviction itself.

If your landlord illegally evicted you in order to escape carrying out repairs, that is relevant context in a disrepair claim as well.

What if I left because of the landlord's behaviour?

If a landlord made the property uninhabitable, by cutting off heating, water, or electricity, or by causing such severe disrepair that you had no realistic option but to leave, this may amount to "constructive eviction." You can still pursue both the illegal eviction and any underlying disrepair claim.

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

If you have been illegally evicted from a home that had disrepair, for example, if the landlord used the eviction to avoid carrying out repairs, call us on 0800 030 4669.

No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation. If you don't win, you pay nothing.

Sources

• Protection from Eviction Act 1977 (legislation.gov.uk)

Related articles

• Defending a possession claim as a tenant