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I feel that I am a victim of harassment or illegal eviction. What should I do? |
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In the first instance, a tenant should contact one of the Council's Housing Options Officers, based at 16 Church Road, Stockton, who will examine the facts of the case, establish the kind of tenancy and consider whether or not the landlord appears to have committed an offence. The Council will also provide advice to help you find alternative accommodation.
The Housing Options Officer may then refer the matter to the Council's Legal Section for further action. In some cases, depending on the urgency of the matter, a telephone call will be made to the landlord to establish the landlord's point of view and try to resolve the dispute. For instance, the landlord may not be aware that what he/she is doing may constitute an offence and, when this is pointed out to him/her, he/she may rectify the situation.
If a landlord refuses to stop acting in a certain manner, or refuses to hand back keys or allow access to the property, the Council will consider issuing proceedings against the landlord for harassment or illegal eviction. The landlord, if convicted, may be fined up to £2,000 or sent to prison for 6 months, or both, by the Court.
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