Landlord harassment is any act done by the landlord or on his behalf to force you out of your home, all without complying with the conditions of the lease contract and proper eviction process, says Housing Advice.
Eviction Process
The process eviction process means you receiving an eviction notice and having about 28 to 30 days before you have to move out. The landlord can also follow it up with a court order.
Common Forms of Harassment
The following are examples of landlord harassment:
- Locking you out of your apartment, whether by changing the locks on the doors of the unit or building
- Your landlord offers you a buyout but only supplies you with wrong information
- Contacting you about a buyout 180 days after you already said no.
- Overcharging your rent. If your unit is rent-regulated, then this is illegal
- Threats and intimidation through phone calls or abusive language
- Not doing repairs
- Entering your apartment without permission
- Causing construction-related issues
What You Can Do
One way to put an end to the harassment is to ask the landlord to stop. Document every incident. If the harassment continues, seek out legal help. Report the incident and consult with your lawyer on how best to move forward. With the help of a lawyer, someone who can stand up for your rights in court and uphold the rule of law, you can be compensated for all the time and trouble you went through. It can be reassuring to see that the legal system can and does work in these situations. So when you know you have legal grounds for suing, don’t hesitate to fight for your rights. You might have to take the time for court trials and hire a lawyer but what you get out of it is the satisfaction of knowing justice has been served.
