What can I do if my landlord changed the locks while I was out?
Short answer
That is illegal eviction — a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. Call the police on 101 (999 if threatened), citing Section 1 of the Act, contact your council’s Tenancy Relations Officer, and call Shelter on 0808 800 4444 — a solicitor can seek a same-day injunction to get you back in.
Locking you out without a court order is not a grey area. Depriving a residential occupier of their home — changing the locks, refusing to let you back in, removing your belongings — is a criminal offence under section 1 of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, and the Renters' Rights Act 2025 raised the penalties to an unlimited fine or, in the worst Crown Court cases, up to two years' imprisonment. A contractor who changes the locks on the landlord's instructions commits the offence personally too.
What to do in the first 24 hours
- Stay safe. Do not force your way back in if it risks violence; call 999 if you are threatened.
- Document everything now — photograph the changed locks and the property, note times, names and witnesses, and save every text and voicemail.
- Call the police on 101. Some officers wrongly call it a civil matter — be firm, cite Section 1 of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, and get a crime reference number. Ask for an officer to attend so you can re-enter safely.
- Call your council's Tenancy Relations Officer — every English council has one. They can investigate, contact the landlord directly, and prosecute.
- Call Shelter on 0808 800 4444. They can refer you to an emergency solicitor who can apply for an injunction ordering the landlord to readmit you — sometimes the same day. Legal aid is available subject to means.
- If you cannot get back in tonight, apply to the council's homelessness team — emergency accommodation must be provided if you are in priority need.
Compensation afterwards
Money remedies run alongside any prosecution, and are often substantial. Statutory damages under sections 27 and 28 of the Housing Act 1988 are measured by the windfall the landlord gained by removing you — awards range from a few thousand pounds to over £80,000, with £15,000–£40,000 common. You can add damages for removed or damaged belongings, and apply to the tribunal for a rent repayment order of up to 12 months' rent. One caution: genuine lodgers sharing the landlord's own home are "excluded occupiers" who can be evicted on reasonable notice without a court order — but even then violence and lock-outs while you are absent with your belongings inside remain unlawful. If in doubt about your status, get advice before assuming you are unprotected.
Related guides
Illegal Eviction: Criminal Offences and Civil Remedies
If your landlord locks you out, removes your belongings, cuts off utilities, or threatens you to make you leave without a court order, that is illegal eviction or harassment — both criminal offences under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 has strengthened the penalties and added new civil remedies. This guide explains what counts as illegal eviction, how to respond in the first 24 hours, and how to recover compensation afterwards.
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Landlord Harassment and Illegal Eviction
Landlord harassment and illegal eviction are serious criminal offences in England. If your landlord is making your life difficult to force you to leave, changing the locks without a court order, or cutting off utilities, they are breaking the law. You have strong legal protections and can take action through the courts, the police, and your local council.
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Rent Repayment Orders
A Rent Repayment Order (RRO) is an order from the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) requiring a landlord to repay rent to a tenant or the local authority. RROs are available where a landlord has committed certain housing offences. They are a powerful tool for tenants to reclaim rent where their landlord has acted unlawfully.
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Homelessness Support in the UK
If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless within 56 days, you have legal rights to housing assistance from your local council under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. You do not need to wait until you are sleeping on the street — councils have a duty to help from the point of threat.
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