When the Landlord Retaliates
Ala. Code § 35-9A-501 — no rent hike, cut service or eviction for a code complaint, a repair request or a tenants' union
- The tenant complained to a government agency about a code violation materially affecting health and safety.
- The tenant complained to the landlord about a breach of the duty to keep the place fit.
- The tenant organized or joined a tenants' union or a similar group.
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For any of those, a landlord may not retaliate by discriminatorily raising rent, cutting services, or bringing or threatening an eviction. A tenant who is retaliated against has the lockout remedies, up to three months' rent or actual damages and attorney's fees, and a defense to the eviction.
When the landlord may still evict. The landlord may still bring an eviction if the tenant's own lack of care caused the code violation, the tenant is behind on rent, the repairs would require the unit to be emptied, or there are other material lease violations.
Sources for this section (2)
- Ala. Code § 35-9A-501 — Retaliatory Conduct Prohibited
- Ala. Code § 35-9A-407 — Tenant’s Remedies for Landlord’s Unlawful Ouster, Exclusion, or Diminution of Service
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Alabama attorney.