What Can an Inglewood Landlord Be Penalized for Shutting Off a Tenant's Utilities? Civil Code Section 789.3

Published August 10, 2026

California landlords, including in Inglewood, cannot cut off a tenant's water, heat, electricity, or gas, change the locks, remove doors or windows, or remove a tenant's belongings to force them out. Civil Code section 789.3 sets statutory damages of up to $100 per day of violation, with a $250 minimum per cause of action, plus mandatory attorney fees for the prevailing party.

The short answer

Civil Code section 789.3 bars a California landlord from willfully cutting off a tenant's utilities, changing the locks, removing doors or windows, or removing the tenant's belongings, to try to force them out. A tenant can recover statutory damages of up to one hundred dollars for each day the violation continues, with a minimum of two hundred fifty dollars per separate violation, plus mandatory attorney fees for whichever side wins.

Last verified: August 10, 2026

What the statute actually prohibits

Section 789.3 targets self-help evictions, meaning any attempt by a landlord to force a tenant out without going through the court process. The statute prohibits a landlord from willfully causing, "directly or indirectly, the interruption or termination of any utility service" including water, heat, electricity, or gas, when done "with intent to terminate the occupancy."

It also prohibits, with the same intent to end the tenancy, preventing the tenant from gaining reasonable access to the property by changing the locks, removing outside doors or windows, or removing the tenant's personal property from the premises.

The common thread across all four prohibited acts is intent. The statute is not about an accidental utility outage or a legitimate lockout during a lawful eviction process. It is about a landlord trying to pressure a tenant out by making the unit unlivable or inaccessible instead of using the court system.

The exact damages figures

This is the part worth having on hand. Under section 789.3, a tenant may recover statutory damages "in an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) for each day or part thereof the landlord remains in violation of this section," with a floor of "two hundred fifty dollars ($250)... for each separate cause of action."

In practical terms, that means even a short violation carries a guaranteed minimum penalty of $250 for that cause of action, and the exposure grows by up to $100 for every additional day or partial day the violation continues.

Quick reference

| Element | Amount or requirement | Citation |

|---|---|---|

| Statutory damages, per day of violation | Up to $100 per day or part of a day | Civil Code 789.3 |

| Statutory damages, minimum per cause of action | $250 | Civil Code 789.3 |

| Attorney fees | Mandatory award to the prevailing party | Civil Code 789.3 |

| Injunctive relief | Available in addition to damages | Civil Code 789.3 |

| Actual damages | Recoverable in addition to statutory penalties | Civil Code 789.3 |

| Other remedies | Statute is not exclusive; other legal remedies remain available | Civil Code 789.3 |

Attorney fees are not optional for the court

Section 789.3 does not leave attorney fees to the court's discretion. The statute states the court "shall award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party" in an action under the relevant subdivision. That "shall" language means a landlord who loses this kind of claim is on the hook for the tenant's attorney fees as well as the statutory damages, and a landlord who successfully defends against a bad faith claim can recover fees too, since the fee award runs to whichever side prevails.

The statute also makes clear that a tenant is not limited to these statutory penalties. A tenant can seek injunctive relief to stop an ongoing violation, and can pursue actual damages and other remedies available under California law. The statutory damages in this section are a floor with teeth, not a cap on total recovery.

Why this matters more than it might seem

The dollar figures here are modest by California litigation standards, but the exposure compounds fast and the mandatory fee-shifting changes the math. A landlord who cuts off power for a week to pressure a difficult tenant out is not just risking $700 in statutory penalties for that one violation. They are risking that amount plus the tenant's actual damages, plus their own attorney fees, plus the tenant's attorney fees if the tenant wins, on top of whatever a formal unlawful detainer process would have cost if they had used it instead.

For an Inglewood landlord dealing with a nonpaying or difficult tenant, the lawful path is the unlawful detainer process through the courts, not a utility shutoff or lockout. This is a statewide statute, not an Inglewood-specific ordinance, so it applies the same way across the South Bay.

FAQ

Can I turn off the water if a tenant hasn't paid rent in months?

No. Nonpayment of rent is addressed through the formal eviction process, not by cutting off utilities. Doing so with intent to force the tenant out exposes you to the statutory damages and mandatory attorney fees under this section.

What if the utility outage was accidental, like a billing lapse, not intentional?

The statute requires the interruption be willful and done with intent to terminate the occupancy. An accidental lapse is a different situation, but keep records showing it was not intentional and address it promptly.

Can I change the locks while an eviction case is pending in court?

Changing the locks to prevent the tenant's reasonable access, done to end the occupancy outside the court process, is exactly what this statute prohibits. Lockouts should happen only through a court-ordered process, such as a sheriff executing a writ of possession.

Is $250 the maximum I could owe?

No, $250 is the minimum per separate cause of action. The per-day damages of up to $100 stack on top of that for each day or part of a day the violation continues, and actual damages and attorney fees are separate from the statutory penalty.

Do I have to pay the tenant's attorney if I lose?

Yes. The statute requires the court to award reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party, and that provision is not discretionary.

Does this statute cover removing a tenant's furniture or belongings from the unit?

Yes. Removing the tenant's personal property from the premises, done with intent to end the occupancy, is one of the specifically prohibited acts alongside utility shutoffs and lockouts.

This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your specific situation against the current statute at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov and with a licensed attorney before taking any action affecting a tenant's utilities or access to a unit.

Topics: compliance, landlord law, tenant rights, South Bay, Inglewood

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