Background
The Tenant Anti-HarassmentAnti-Harassment Ordinance (TAHO) #187109, effective August 6, 2021, prohibits landlords in all residential properties from harassing tenants by removing housing services, withholding repairs, or refusing to accept rent payments. To strengthen the ordinance, the Los Angeles City Council amended the TAHO Ordinance #188416, effective December 29, 2024, to enhance tenant protections to include mandatory damages for the prevailing party in a civil action, among other modifications.
About
What is tenant harassment?
Tenant harassment is a landlord’s bad faith conduct directed at a specific tenant or tenants that causes the latter detriment or harm. “Bad faith” refers to willful, reckless, or grossly negligent conduct.
Click here to view the Tenant Anti-Harassment flyer in English
Click here to view the Tenant Anti-Harassment flyer in Spanish.
What are the harassment laws in the City of Los Angeles?
The Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (TAHO) protects against tenant harassment. Landlords are prohibited from the following acts if done to harass the tenant, including other conduct that may not be mentioned below:
- Taking away services provided in the lease (housing services).
- Failure to make timely repairs
- Abuse of right of access to the unit. (See informational 24-Hour Notice Flyer in FAQ’s below).
- Threatening a tenant with physical harm (verbal, physical)
- Attempting to coerce a tenant to move out by offering payment
- Representing that the tenant is required to move out from (Misrepresentation, concealment, or omission of material fact)
- Eviction based on false reasons
- Interfering with the quiet enjoyment or habitability of the unit
- Refusing lawful rent
- Inquiring as to a tenant’s immigration/citizenship status
- Disclosing immigration/citizenship
- Disclosing tenant information to any govt agency
- Engaging in activity prohibited by federal, state, or local housing anti-discrimination laws.
- Retaliating with tenant organizing activities (tenant associations and unions).
- Interfering with tenant’s right to privacy (except as permitted by law)
- Unilaterally changing terms of tenancy
- Other repeated acts of such significance causing a tenant to move out
For RSO properties, 151.33 Non-compliance with Buyout requirements
If you believe you are being harassed, call LAHD: 1-866-557-7368
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Tenants should request their repairs in writing and keep a copy of the written notice. They may use the LAHD form titled Tenant Request For Repair and/or Maintenance. If the landlord does not respond, the problem should be reported to the LAHD Code Enforcement Unit (888-557-7368) for multi-dwelling units or LADBS (888-LA4-BUILD) for condominiums or single-family dwellings.
Tenants need to keep records by taking notes of each harassing event. Tenants should keep a log with dates and times, get statements from neighbors, and take pictures. If a tenant feels they are in physical danger, they should call the LAPD or dial 911.
Yes, a tenant has a private right of action and may file a civil case against the landlord. For legal referrals, visit: housing.lacity.gov or calbar.ca.gov.
The Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance protections apply to all residential tenants in the City of Los Angeles, regardless of whether the unit is subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO).
Yes, but there are strict rules about how this is done. Before entering into a buyout agreement, the landlord must provide the tenant with the RSO Disclosure Notice. Both the Buyout agreement and accompanying Disclosure Notice must be filed with the LAHD within 60 days of signing the buyout agreement. A tenant can cancel a buyout for any reason for up to 30 days after both the landlord and tenant have signed the agreement and may use the LAHD form titled, Notification of Buyout Offer Rejection. Landlords cannot force the tenant to move with offers of payments.
Violation of the ordinance can be either a criminal misdemeanor (up to 6 months in jail or a $1,000 fine for each offense) or a civil violation. A tenant prevailing in a civil court under this article shall be awarded three times compensatory damages (including damages for mental or emotional distress), rent refunds for a reduction in housing services (if applicable), reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, civil penalties up to $10,000 but not less than $2,000 per violation depending upon the severity of the violation, tenant relocation (if applicable), and other appropriate relief, as adjudged by the court.
If a tenant prevailing under this article is older than 65 years or disabled when any of the harassing conduct occurred, the court may impose additional civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, depending upon the severity of the violation.
Also, the court may impose equitable relief and punitive damages. In addition, a violator is liable for such costs, expenses, and disbursements paid or incurred by the City in abatement and prosecution of the violation(s).
A 24-hour written notice to the tenant must provide with specificity the reason for entry and must state a reasonable time window to enter the unit in light of the stated purpose for entry. If proper written notice is provided, the owner may enter the unit without the tenant’s presence. If you refuse entry, seek legal advice. Tenants are encouraged to communicate with their landlord to request reasonable rescheduling and may review more information in the 24 Hour Notice Flyer.
Abuse of the right of access into a rental unit includes the following: entering or photographing portions of a rental unit that are beyond the scope of a lawful entry or inspection; failing to explicitly state the specific justification for entry in the notice of entry to the tenant; failing to coordinate entry with the tenant’s schedule reasonably; misrepresenting in the notice of entry the reasons for entering the residential rental property or rental unit; failing to provide the approximate time window for the entry or providing a time window that is unreasonably excessive in time for the stated purpose; failing to timely notify the tenant that the entry for which the tenant was previously given notice has been canceled; excessively requesting entry in a manner not reasonably justified by the reason(s) stated on the notice. Emergencies are the exception.
Disclaimer
The City of Los Angeles provides this material for general informational purposes only. The information provided here does not and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. You should contact a licensed attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter. Only your individual attorney can provide assurances that the information contained here, including your interpretation of it, is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation. Use of, and access to, the resources contained here do not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader, user, or browser and the authors or contributors, including the City of Los Angeles or its staff. All liability with respect to actions taken or not taken based on the information provided is hereby expressly disclaimed. The content provided “as is;” no representations are made that the content is error-free.