A landlord may be guilty of an illegal eviction in the following circumstances:

• fails to give you the right amount of notice to leave your property

• change the locks

• evicts you without a court order

An illegal eviction is a civil offence.

You must instruct the landlord that they cannot lock you out of the property, they must go through the legal eviction process. 

The Police can arrest the landlord or agent under Section 7 of the Criminal Law Act, if they are inside the property and refusing you entry.

It’s a crime for your landlord to harass or try to force you out of a property without following correct procedures. 

You might have the right to claim damages through the court if your landlord does not follow the rules.

Unlawful eviction or a harassment offences can be tried in a Magistrates Court or the Crown Court. 

The maximum penalty in a Magistrates Court is 6 months in prison and/or a fine of not more than £5000. In the Crown Court it is 2 years' imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.