How to Sue a Landlord for Retaliation the Easy Way

When you rent a place to live in, you just want to live in peace. However, if things aren't the way they should be, you have a right to have those things fixed. Not every landlord is going to feel the same, though, and some may even retaliate against you for trying to make them do their job. If this happens, you can , and DoNotPay can help you do it.

What is Retaliation?

Retaliation is defined as a landlord doing something to harm the tenant in response to a tenant's good-faith complaints, either to the landlord or a regulatory group, or their actions that may seem to counter the landlord's interests, such as joining a tenants' union. Tenants have a legally-protected right to do these things, and against them is illegal.

Retaliation can take many forms. Some of the most common ways a landlord may retaliate against a tenant are:

Threatening or filing eviction without cause (or for fabricated reasons).
Attempting an eviction without notice.
Threatening or attempting to kick out a roommate.
Shutting off or limiting services like water, heat, electricity, etc.
Harassing tenants.
Spying on tenants, or otherwise violating their right to privacy.
Refusing to repair the dwelling.
Raising rent outside of a renewal period or to an extreme amount.
Refusing to renew a lease without cause.
Attempting to enforce rules or regulations that aren't listed in the lease.
Withholding a security deposit without cause or failing to return it within the legal timeframe.

What Can You Get By Suing a Landlord?

If the case makes it to court and is ruled in your favor, you can be awarded a few different things by the court. These are:

Payments for Damages	If you've suffered any kind of loss, injury, or other damage as a result of your landlord's retaliation, you can be awarded a sum equivalent to that by the court.
Payments as Punishment	In addition to any specific damages, the court can award you a sum as punishment for your landlord to dissuade them from retaliating in the future. This can be up to but not more than $2,500.

How to Sue a Landlord for Retaliation On Your Own

The process for filing your claim can be complicated and time-consuming. Doing it on your own only makes this more apparent. DoNotPay saves you from a lot of this effort and advocates on your behalf, which is why we're adamant that we can help you on this matter. If you'd like to try for yourself first, here's what you can do:

Collect your evidence of retaliation. This is one reason why it's super important to get any communication between you and your landlord in writing or on the record. Remember to make copies so that nothing gets lost or destroyed.
Get in touch with someone who can help. This often means a lawyer, but can also include consumer protection agencies or a local tenants' union.
Discuss what course of action you want to take against the landlord. If you feel you're in immediate danger, your lawyer can help file a temporary restraining order during this point.
File your case with the housing court or small claims court.

Suing a Landlord for Retaliation With DoNotPay

If your DIY solutions aren't working or are just taking up too much of your time, it might be good to let DoNotPay step in. Just follow these four simple steps to get started:

Search for and open the Landlord Protection product on DoNotPay.
Select which issue applies to you.
Answer a simple set of questions so our chatbot can collect the necessary information to create your demand letter.
Choose whether you want DoNotPay to send the demand letter to your landlord or roommate on your behalf. If you already tried sending a demand letter and it didn't work, we can help you start the small claims court process.

And that's it! You should hear back from your landlord directly once your demands are sent.

Sue Anyone With DoNotPay

In addition to retaliation, we can assist you in getting legal restitution for all sorts of things. Whether it's against your landlord, like to get your deposit back, or someone else, we'll help generate a demand letter and get you where you need to go. DoNotPay's Sue Now product is easy and convenient to use, so you can get what you're owed faster and with less of a headache.

What Else Can DoNotPay Do?

DoNotPay isn't limited to landlord and tenant affairs; we can help in all areas of your life. If you're wondering what else we do, then check out our services to:

Whether it's protecting you from your landlord or something else, DoNotPay has your back. Start using us today to get the safety, comfort, and convenience you deserve.