Locked Out by the Landlord
Utah Code 78B-6-814 — only by judicial process, unless the place was abandoned
It is unlawful for an owner to willfully exclude a tenant from the tenant's premises in any manner except by judicial process. The exception is premises the tenant has abandoned, which the owner may retake and attempt to rent.
Who handles this in Utah: And Justice for All, James B. Lee General Intake line and Utah Legal Services; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Utah directory.
- Property a tenant leaves in abandoned premises may be removed and stored, and the owner may recover actual moving and storage costs.
- The owner posts a notice that the property is considered abandoned and mails it to the tenant's last known address.
- The tenant may retrieve the property within 15 calendar days from the notice by paying the costs of inventory, moving and storage, after which it may be sold at a public sale or donated.
Sources for this section (2)
- Utah Code 78B-6-814 — Exclusion of tenant without judicial process prohibited -- Abandoned premises excepted
- Utah Code 78B-6-816 — Abandoned premises -- Retaking and rerenting by owner -- Liability of tenant -- Personal property of tenant left on premises
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Utah attorney.