What are my rights ifI have been illegally evicted?
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What are my rights ifI have been illegally evicted?
I was late on my rent. After 7 days late my landlord changed the locks; the police let me I re-enter my house. A few days later, my landlord then locked my breaker box and refused to turn power back on. I tried to give him half of what I owed but he will not put my power on. What do I do?
Asked on October 24, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Alabama
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If you have been illegally evicted by your landlord (and from what you have written, you have been due to the unilateral change of the locksand the locking of your breaker box), you should immediately consult with a landlord tenant attorney about what has transpired.
When you consult with the attorney, bring all paperwork that you have concerning your lease including the written lease agreement for the attorney to review.
In many states in this country there are statutes precluding what your landlord has done with respect to you where significant penalties can be assessed against the landlord as well as attorneys fees if a lawsuit is filed and you prevail in it.
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