Tenant Support UK

Red graphic with bold white and yellow text reading “Tenant’s Guide to Harassment” and a warning symbol, designed to raise awareness about housing-related harassment issues.

What Counts as Harassment Under UK Housing Law? A Tenant’s Guide to Fighting Back

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by

Luigi Garuzzi
in

“Disclaimer:Tenant Support UK is not a law firm and does not provide regulated legal advice. All content on this website is for general informational purposes only, based on publicly available legal guidance and personal experience. If you need legal advice tailored to your situation, please consult a qualified solicitor or a trusted housing advice service.“

If you’ve ever felt like your landlord is making your life deliberately harder, read on. Because tenant harassment is real, it’s serious, and most importantly, it’s illegal.

Let’s break it down into human language.

What Counts as Harassment?

In UK housing law, harassment is when your landlord or agent behaves in a way that deliberately causes you distress or tries to force you to leave your home.

This includes things like:

  • Cutting off gas, water, or electricity on purpose
  • Entering your home without notice
  • Repeatedly turning up uninvited
  • Threatening eviction without legal grounds
  • Refusing to do repairs to make you want to leave

It doesn’t have to be physical or loud. Quiet tactics can be just as toxic. If their goal is to make your life miserable enough that you give up your rights, that’s harassment.

Your Rights as a Tenant

Under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, tenants are protected against harassment and illegal eviction.

Even if you don’t have a written tenancy agreement or if you’re not named on the contract, if you pay rent and live in the property, you still have rights.

Harassment is a criminal offence. Your landlord could face fines or even prison time. You can also claim compensation.

Steps to Take if You’re Being Harassed

  1. Document Everything: Save texts, record dates, take photos, keep emails. This is your best weapon.
  2. Communicate in Writing: Always reply by email or message, never just verbally. This creates a trail.
  3. Seek Support: Contact your local council’s housing team, ACORN, a tenants’ union, or groups like Tenant Support UK, maybe shelter and Citizens Advice.
  4. Legal Action: You can report the harassment to the council or police. You can also take the landlord to court for damages.

Useful Resources

Harassment thrives on silence. But you’re not alone. The law is on your side. If something feels wrong, it probably is.

You don’t need to be a legal expert to know when you’re being mistreated. But knowing your rights gives you power – and that’s exactly what the worst landlords hope you never discover.

The Toolbox: 9 Ways to Fight Back Without Moving to Mars

  1. Shelter England – england.shelter.org.uk — 0808 800 4444.
  2. Citizens Advice Redditch & Bromsgrove – citizensadviceredditch.org.uk.
  3. TSUK Letters Templates – TenantSupportUK.com
  4. ACORN Community Union – acorntheunion.org.uk.
  5. Generation Rent – generationrent.org.
  6. Renters Reform Coalition – rentersreformcoalition.co.uk.
  7. Housing Ombudsman Service – housing-ombudsman.org.uk.
  8. Redditch Borough Council Housing Solutions – redditchbc.gov.uk/housing or call 01527 587 000.
  9. Tenancy Deposit Schemes – depositprotection.com (DPS) • tenancydepositscheme (TDS) • mydeposits.co.uk (MyDeposits)

Tenant Support UK

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