7. Harassment
Harassment is defined under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 as:
- acts likely to interfere with the peace and comfort of those living in the premises or
- persistent withdrawal or withholding of services that are reasonably required for occupation of the premises
This could include:
- threats of violence
- removal of fittings or belongings
- disconnecting services such as gas, electricity and water
- repeatedly attending the property without notice or due reason
For the courts to consider actions as harassment, there would need to be sufficient evidence to show that the landlord or someone acting on behalf of the agent had committed these acts at least twice with the intent of causing distress or to force you to leave the property.
It is not usually considered to be harassment if your landlord is trying to make contact with you about rent arrears or repairs that are required but it will depend on how the landlord is attempting to deal with the situation.