Penalties for illegal entry

Say your landlord enters unlawfully, enters in an unreasonable manner, or makes repeated demands to enter that harass (bother) you without good reason. You may ask a court for an order to stop it, or you may end the rental agreement. To end it, give your landlord written notice at least 10 days before the end date in the notice. If a court later disagrees, you can owe the rent and face eviction. Get legal help first.

If your landlord enters unlawfully, or keeps demanding to enter in a way that bothers you without good reason, you may recover money. You may recover up to your actual money loss or one month's rent, whichever is greater. You may also recover court costs and reasonable attorney fees (lawyer fees). If your rent is $1,000 and your loss is $300, you may recover up to $1,000. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If your landlord enters your home unlawfully, or enters lawfully but in an unreasonable way, you have 2 choices. The same is true if repeated lawful requests to enter unreasonably interfere with your peaceful use of your home. You can ask a court for an order to stop it from happening again. Or you can end your lease yourself. Either way, you can get money from your landlord. Ending your lease is risky. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If your landlord seriously breaks the rules about entering your home, you can send written notice describing what your landlord did wrong. If your landlord does not fix the problem within 10 days after getting the notice, your lease ends. You can also ask a court for money for the harm this caused you, and for an order telling your landlord to stop.

If the landlord breaks the entry rules or locks you out, put your complaint in writing with a deadline to fix it. If your landlord locks you out illegally, you can also collect 1 month's rent plus $1,000, plus your actual losses. For other serious privacy problems, you can sue for your losses, or ask a court to end your lease. If you stand up for your privacy rights, the law protects you for 6 months. Your landlord cannot punish you with an eviction or a rent increase during that time. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

Entering your home for a reason the law does not allow is also an unfair practice under the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Law. This law does not cover public housing. It also does not cover a 2- or 3-family building where your landlord lives.

If your landlord breaks this rule, you can take them to court. If the court rules in your favor your landlord can owe you your actual losses or 3 months rent, whichever is more. For example, if your rent is $500 per month, 3 months' rent is $1,500. You may be awarded either $1,500 or the amount of your actual losses, whichever is more. Your landlord must also pay your court costs and lawyer fees.

You can also ask a court to order your landlord to stop.

The law lists the only cases when a landlord may enter your home. Your landlord cannot make a significant and intentional illegal entry to pressure you into moving out. If you win a court case over this, you are entitled to a penalty of up to $2,000 for each violation. For example, 3 violations could mean up to $6,000. You can bring this claim in small claims court. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If your landlord enters your home in a way the law does not allow, you can sue for money. You can also sue if your landlord bothers you with repeated demands to enter. The court must award you at least one month's rent, plus your lawyer's fees. A court can also order your landlord to stop, or let you end the lease early. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

Your landlord is liable to you for harm from an entry. This covers entries by the landlord, its employees or agents, or someone with the landlord's permission. Theft is one example. This applies if you were away and did not specifically agree to the entry. It applies if you were home and able to agree, but did not. In any other case, it applies when the landlord's negligence (carelessness) caused the harm. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If your landlord repeatedly demands unreasonable entry, you may treat it as grounds to end your rental agreement. You may do the same if the landlord enters in an unreasonable way you did not agree to. A court can order the landlord to stop. If a court later disagrees, you can owe the rent and face eviction. Get legal help first.

In some cases, your landlord is liable (legally responsible) for theft or other harm from an entry. One case is entry when you are away and did not agree to it. A lease term that frees your landlord from this responsibility has no effect. Your agreement to one particular entry still counts.

A Georgia landlord who enters at unreasonable times, like in the middle of the night, may be in breach of the lease. That means the landlord may have broken its terms.

A Hawaii landlord must pay you for theft or other damage that an entry into your home causes. This covers entry by the landlord or by someone the landlord lets in. It applies in 3 cases. First, you were away and said no to a specific entry after the landlord told you about it. Second, you were home and able to agree, and the landlord entered without your actual consent. Third, the landlord's negligence (lack of care) caused the damage. An entry in an emergency such as fire is not covered. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If your Hawaii landlord keeps demanding unreasonable entry, you may end your lease. If a court later disagrees, you can owe the rent and face eviction. Get legal help first.

A Hawaii circuit court judge may order a landlord to stop unreasonable entry with an injunction (a court order to stop). The judge may also fine the landlord up to $100.

A Hawaii lease cannot let your landlord out of paying for entry damage. You can still agree to one entry.

Idaho law defines forcible entry (entry by force). A person is guilty of it who breaks open doors, windows or other parts of a house to enter real property. The same is true of a person who uses violence or circumstances of terror to enter.

Say a landlord or tenant wins money for forcible entry (entry by force), unlawful entry, or detention of a building or land. Idaho law says the court may order 3 times the amount of the actual loss. For example, a $500 loss could become $1,500. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

Your landlord may enter unlawfully, enter lawfully in an unreasonable way, or make repeated demands to enter that unreasonably harass you. If so, you can ask a court for an order to stop it happening again. Or you can end your lease. Either way, you can recover your actual money losses. Ending your lease is risky. Ask legal aid first. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

The city law against harassment (unwanted, hostile treatment) carries real penalties. A landlord can face a criminal charge with up to 6 months in jail or a $1,000 fine per offense. In a civil case you can win 3 times your losses plus penalties of $2,000 to $10,000 per violation. For example, 3 times $1,000 in losses is $3,000. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If your Maine landlord enters in violation of the entry law, you may recover your actual losses or $100, whichever is more. The same is true if the landlord enters in an unreasonable manner. It is also true if repeated demands to enter harass you (bother you again and again). You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If your landlord enters illegally, you may ask a Maine court for an injunction (a court order to stop it from happening again). You may ask for one too if the entry is done in an unreasonable way. You may also ask if repeated demands to enter amount to harassment (bothering you again and again). If you get a judgment (the court's final decision) after a contested hearing, the court may award reasonable lawyer fees. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If your landlord breaks these rules, you can take them to court. The court can order your landlord to pay your actual losses or 3 months' rent, whichever is more. For example, if your rent is $1,500 a month, 3 months' rent is $4,500. Your landlord must also pay your court costs and lawyer's fees.

Your landlord can also be fined $25 to $300, or jailed for up to 6 months, for breaking this law.

You can also ask a court to order your landlord to stop breaking the law, instead of or as well as asking for money.

If your landlord enters your home without following Minnesota's notice and privacy rules, a court can lower your rent, or even cancel your lease. The court can also order your landlord to return your deposit, minus any amount they were allowed to keep under the deposit rules. The court can order your landlord to pay you up to $500 for each time this happened, plus your reasonable lawyer fees. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

Your landlord may enter when the law does not allow it. Or your landlord may enter in an unreasonable manner. Or your landlord may make repeated demands for entry that is otherwise lawful, and they have the effect of unreasonably harassing (bothering) you. You may ask a court for an injunction (a court order to stop it from happening again).

Suppose your landlord enters when the law does not allow it. Or your landlord enters in an unreasonable manner. Or your landlord makes repeated demands for entry that unreasonably harass (bother) you. You may end the rental agreement. If a court later disagrees, you can owe the rent and face eviction. Get legal help first.

Suppose your landlord enters when the law does not allow it. Or your landlord enters in an unreasonable manner. Or your landlord makes repeated demands for entry that unreasonably harass (bother) you. You may ask a court for an order to stop it. You may then get money the landlord must pay you for your actual losses. It must be at least one month's rent. You may get reasonable attorney's fees too. Example: with $800 rent, at least $800. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

Under RSA 540-A:4, a tenant can ask for relief from a landlord's violation of RSA 540-A:2 or RSA 540-A:3. To do this, file a petition (a written request to the court) in the district or county where the rental home is located.

Under RSA 540-A:4, no filing fee is charged for a petition against a landlord's violation of RSA 540-A:2 or RSA 540-A:3. The person filing may go ahead without a lawyer. Either a peace officer or the sheriff's department serves process (delivers the court papers).

Under RSA 540-A:4, the court must grant the relief needed to protect the rights of the parties. This applies if it finds a violation of RSA 540-A:2 or RSA 540-A:3, I, II, or III. The relief may include an order to stop the activity. It may also include money the landlord must pay you for the violation. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If a landlord breaks RSA 540-A:2 or any part of RSA 540-A:3, RSA 358-A:10 lets you sue for the first violation. If you win, the court awards the greater of your actual loss or $1,000. If the landlord broke the law on purpose or knowingly, it awards 2 to 3 times that amount. For example, 2 times $1,000 is $2,000. You also get costs and reasonable attorney's fees (lawyer fees). You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

Your landlord may hold a key to your home. If your landlord is known to enter while you are away, your landlord may have to pay for damage or stolen property that results.

In general, your landlord needs your permission or a court judgment (the court's final decision) to enter your home. If your landlord comes in while you are away and without your permission, it is forcible entry (entry the law does not allow).

If your landlord enters your home unlawfully, you can choose to file a trespass (entering without permission) complaint with local police. Writing down what happened, taking photos, and calling legal aid are options too, with or without a police report. You can also take the matter to the Superior Court.

If a judge rules in your favor in an unlawful entry and detainer (illegal removal) case, you can get back possession of your home. The judge can also order your landlord to pay court costs, your lawyer's fees, and money for any damage caused. If it is not possible to give you back possession, the judge must instead order your landlord to pay you 3 times that money. 3 times $1,000 is $3,000. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

Your landlord breaks the law by entering your home unlawfully or entering in a way that is not fair. Your landlord also breaks the law by repeatedly demanding entry in a way that bothers you more than is fair. If this happens, you can ask a court to stop it or to end your lease. If a court later disagrees, you can owe the rent and face eviction. Get legal help first. The court can also order your landlord to pay you money and your attorney's fees. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

Your landlord breaks the entry rules in three ways. The first way is entering without following the notice and timing rules. The second way is entering lawfully but in an unfair way. The third way is asking to enter so often that it becomes harassment (contact that keeps bothering you).

If your landlord breaks the entry rules, you can ask a court for money to cover your losses. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays. You can also ask a court to order your landlord to stop, and to make your landlord pay your reasonable attorney's fees.

You can end your lease if your landlord enters without proper notice, enters in an unreasonable way, or keeps asking to enter to bother you. If you end your lease, you must move out. If a court later decides your landlord did not break the rules, you could still owe rent. Get legal help before you decide.

If your landlord enters without a legal right, or in an unreasonable way, you can ask a court to order them to stop. The same is true if they keep asking to enter for no good reason. That counts as harassment (unwanted, hostile treatment) under this law, and you can take the same steps. Either way, you can also end your lease in writing and get back money you lost. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays. If a court later disagrees, you can owe the rent and face eviction. Get legal help first. A landlord carrying out a court eviction order under Oklahoma law is not covered by this rule.

Your landlord may not enter your home illegally or in an unreasonable way. Your landlord also may not demand entry so often that it becomes harassment (bothering you again), even if each demand alone is legal. If your landlord does this, you can ask a court to make it stop. You can also end the lease. Either way, you can collect money for it. If you pay rent weekly, that money is at least one week's rent. For any other lease, it is at least one month's rent. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays. If a court later disagrees, you can owe the rent and face eviction. Get legal help first.

Give your landlord a written notice that lists the date and time of each entry. If they keep entering after that, they owe you up to $100 for each time. If you go to court and win, they also pay your court costs and lawyer fees. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

Your landlord may enter your home even though they know they have no legal right to. Your landlord may also enter in an unreasonable way more than once, even when normally allowed to enter. Or your landlord may ask to enter so many times that it starts to bother you a lot. If any of this happens, you can ask a court for an order to make it stop. You can also choose to end the lease instead. If a court later disagrees, you can owe the rent and face eviction. Get legal help first.

If you win, the court can order your landlord to pay your actual money losses and your attorney's fees. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

Your Utah landlord must give you at least 24 hours notice before entering, unless your rental agreement says otherwise. If the landlord fails to give it, Utah law does not let you use that as a reason to not follow your rental agreement. It does not let you use it to bring a cause of action (a court case) against the landlord.

If your landlord enters your home illegally or in an unreasonable way, you can ask a court to order your landlord to stop. You can also end your lease instead, and get money for the harm this caused plus your lawyer's fees. Ending your lease means you must move out, so only choose this if you are sure. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If your landlord keeps entering your home without following Washington's entry rules, first send one written notice. In it, list the violations in good faith, with the date and time of each. After your landlord gets it, the landlord owes up to $100 for each further violation. Keep copies of your notice and any replies. If your landlord still will not stop, you can sue in small claims court for up to $10,000 without a lawyer. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

In DC, a tenant may show that a landlord entered against the entry rule. A tenant may also show that the landlord repeatedly made unreasonable demands to enter. A court may then order the landlord to stop. The court may order the landlord to pay appropriate money. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.

If your landlord breaks these rules and you lose money because of it, you can sue in court. Wisconsin law lets you get back twice the amount you lost, plus your court costs and lawyer's fees. For example, losing $200 could mean getting back $400 plus costs and fees. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays.