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Contact Information
Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council
Tel: 024 7637 6376
Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm
One Stop Shops:
Nuneaton Town Hall
Coton Road, Nuneaton,
Warwickshire, CV11 5AA
Bedworth Area Office
High Street, Bedworth,
Warwickshire, CV12 8NF
Contact Us
Maps and Directions
Tel: 024 7637 6376
Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm
One Stop Shops:
Nuneaton Town Hall
Coton Road, Nuneaton,
Warwickshire, CV11 5AA
Bedworth Area Office
High Street, Bedworth,
Warwickshire, CV12 8NF
Contact Us
Maps and Directions
Illegal Eviction
Contact Details | Online Services | |
Phone: | 024 7637 6406 | |
Fax: | 024 7637 6551 | |
Email: | ||
Service Unit: | Housing | |
Harassment and illegal evictions
It is a crime for landlords to harass or to try to force a tenant out of the property without using court procedures. Tenants that have been harassed or illegally evicted have a right to claim damages through the court.
What is harassment?
Harassment can be anything a landlord does, or fails to do, that makes a tenant feel unsafe in the property or forces them to leave. Harassment is a broad term but can include any of the following:
- stopping services, like electricity
- withholding keys, for example there are two or more tenants in a property but the landlord will only give out one key
- refusing to carry out repairs
- anti-social behaviour by a landlord's agent, for example a friend of the landlord moves in next door and causes problems
- threats and physical violence
Illegal eviction and tenants' rights
Your landlord must first give you a notice to leave if they want the property back from you. If you do not leave on your own, your landlord has to ask a court for an eviction order to force you to leave. Your landlord may be guilty of illegal eviction if you:
- are not given the notice to leave the property that your landlord must give you
- find the locks have been changed
- are evicted without a court order
Even if your landlord’s property is being repossessed by their mortgage lender, the lender must give you a notice period so you can find other accommodation.
If you have an assured shorthold tenancy recognised by the landlord’s mortgage lender, they must honour the terms of your tenancy. If your tenancy is unknown to the mortgage lender you may still be able to request that possession is postponed by up to two months so you can find other accommodation.
You can ask the mortgage lender directly to delay possession of the property or you can make an application to the County Court.
If you think you are being harassed or threatened with illegal eviction, or the property you rent is being repossessed, you can contact the Private Sector Housing Team on the contact details at the top of the page. You can also speak to a legal adviser, you can start by contacting Community Legal Advice for free or speak to the Citizens Advice Bureau. Please see the below links:
