Landlord Changed Locks or Illegal Eviction

If a landlord has changed the locks or otherwise prevented a tenant from accessing their home, the situation is typically considered urgent. People in this situation often contact the police, as illegal eviction can be a criminal offence — though police responses vary and some may treat it as a civil matter. Contacting the local council's tenancy relations officer is often one of the most effective steps, as they have specific experience with illegal eviction cases and may be able to help the tenant regain access. If the tenant is unable to return to the property, the council's housing team may also have duties under homelessness legislation. Some tenants seek an emergency injunction from the county court to be readmitted to the property. Keeping evidence is important — photographs of changed locks, any messages from the landlord, witness statements from neighbours, and records of any belongings left inside.

Common situations include: returning home to find the locks have been changed, a landlord physically preventing entry to the property, belongings being removed or thrown out while the tenant is away, a landlord cutting off utilities to force the tenant to leave, being told to leave immediately with no formal notice or court order, and a landlord intimidating or threatening the tenant to make them leave.

Section 1(2) of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 makes it an offence for any person to unlawfully deprive a residential occupier of their occupation of the premises. Section 1(3) makes it an offence to do acts likely to interfere with the peace or comfort of a residential occupier, or to persistently withdraw or withhold services, with intent to cause them to give up occupation. Section 27 of the Housing Act 1988 provides a right to claim damages for unlawful eviction, and section 28 sets out how damages are calculated — potentially based on the difference in value of the property with and without the tenant in occupation. Only a court can make an order for possession, and only county court bailiffs (or in some cases High Court enforcement officers) can lawfully carry out an eviction.

People who have been illegally evicted often consider: calling the police to report the offence, contacting the local council's tenancy relations officer urgently, applying for an emergency injunction from the county court to be readmitted, seeking emergency housing assistance from the council if they have nowhere to stay, gathering and preserving all available evidence, consulting a solicitor about a damages claim under sections 27 and 28 of the Housing Act 1988, and checking whether legal aid may be available for housing cases.

Common mistakes include: assuming you have no rights because you do not have a written tenancy agreement (the Protection from Eviction Act protects most residential occupiers), not reporting the illegal eviction to the police or council promptly, not gathering evidence before it is lost, trying to break back into the property (this could create legal problems), and not seeking legal advice about potential compensation claims.