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Retaliatory eviction protections

Direct answer

Your landlord cannot lawfully evict you for raising a disrepair complaint. The law protects you whether you rent socially or privately.

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Key deadlines

6 months
Period after complaint where Section 21 was invalid (PRS, pre-2026)
From May 2026
Section 21 banned entirely (PRS)
On this page

Many tenants don't complain about disrepair because they're afraid their landlord will evict them. The law protects you. Here's exactly what those protections are.

Social housing tenants

If you rent from a council or housing association:

  • You have a secure or assured tenancy
  • You can only be evicted on specific lawful grounds (rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, etc.)
  • There is no equivalent of Section 21 for social tenants
  • Complaining about disrepair is never a lawful ground for eviction
  • If your landlord retaliates with harassment, this is itself a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977

Private tenants (before May 2026)

The Deregulation Act 2015 introduced retaliatory eviction protections:

  • If you complained to your landlord about disrepair in writing
  • AND your local council's Environmental Health team served the landlord with an improvement notice
  • THEN your landlord could not use a Section 21 notice for 6 months

This was useful but limited. From May 2026, the system changed entirely.

Private tenants (from May 2026 onwards)

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 banned Section 21 outright. Private landlords must now show a specific lawful ground to evict.

This means:

  • You can complain about disrepair without fearing a "no-fault" eviction
  • Your landlord must follow the formal grounds process
  • Retaliation is even harder to disguise

What to do if you're threatened with eviction after complaining

  1. Don't move out unless a court orders you to
  2. Save every text, email, or letter from your landlord
  3. Contact your local council's tenancy relations officer, many councils have a dedicated officer for retaliation cases
  4. Contact Shelter (free): 0808 800 4444
  5. Contact us for advice on combining a disrepair claim with eviction defence: 0800 030 4669

Real outcomes

  • 2024: a Hyde Housing tenant who was threatened with eviction after raising mould complaints received £6,500 compensation AND kept her tenancy
  • 2025: a private tenant in Newham was protected after complaining about leaks; the Section 21 notice was ruled invalid by the court

The law is firmly on your side.

Start a claim | Call 0800 030 4669

By: Support for Tenants editorial team

Published:

Last updated:

~2 min read

Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.

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