Can my landlord lock me out of my house?
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Can my landlord lock me out of my house?
I was late on my rent so I paid a $25 late fee. now if I don’t pay $70 more I will be locked out. Can he do that?
Asked on August 18, 2011 Minnesota
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
All states have laws against self help evictions by a landlord concerning a dispute with a tenant. Meaning, a landlord has to follow established law to evict a tenant by serving a notice of eviction or serving a three day notice to pay or quit, and filing and serving a summons and unlawful detainer action.
The landlord could very well lock you out of your house. If he does so, he will have made a huge mistake and acted very foolishly subjecting himself to a lawsuit for wrongful eviction. If you are locked out of the rented unit by your landlord, you need to consult with an attorney right away or at the very least the local landlord tenant clinic in your area assuming you have one.
Good luck.
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