Tenant Harassment Rights

Tenant Harassment Rights thumbnail
Landlords cannot harass a tenant by locking them out of their home.

Tenant harassment can take many forms and may include verbal threats, sexual harassment, or attempts by the landlord to make a dwelling unlivable. Depending on the laws of a state, a tenant may have the right to terminate their lease or even seek civil damages against a harassing landlord.

  1. Property Negligence

    • Tenants have rights against landlords who refuse to make necessary repairs or pay building utilities. State laws vary, but tenants may have the right to pay the utilities or make repairs themselves and deduct them from the rent. Tenants may also have the right to terminate the lease in such circumstances.

    Right of Entry

    • While landlords have the right to enter tenant homes for legitimate reasons, most states restrict this right of entry to daytime hours and may even require that the landlord give advance notice to the tenant. The landlord cannot abuse his right to enter the dwelling in order to harass the tenant.

    Utility Cut-Off

    • Landlords cannot harass a tenant by cutting off utilities in the tenant's home.

    Lock Out

    • A landlord cannot harass a tenant by changing the locks on their dwelling. If a landlord wants to evict a tenant, they must get a court order and have the tenant evicted by the sheriff.

    Sexual Harassment

    • The Fair Housing Act prohibits sexual harassment by a landlord against a tenant. Landlords who engage in sexual harassment against tenants face civil, and sometimes criminal, penalties.

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