How Much Can a Tenant Sue a Landlord for Retaliation?

Last Updated: June 7, 2024 by Roberto Valenzuela

Tenants often have the option to sue and recover money from a retaliating landlord. There is wide variation on the type and amount a tenant can recover, depending on the state.

What Can Tenants Receive When Suing a Retaliating Landlord?

Tenants who sue a retaliating landlord usually can recover costs related to the misconduct. Judges often also issue injunctions or other non-monetary forms of relief. It’s less frequent, though not uncommon, to recover attorney fees or a civil penalty.

Tenant’s Actual Costs (Actual Damages)

“Actual damages” is the legal term for costs someone pays as a result of someone else’s misconduct, like moving expenses. It is very important to keep written evidence of actual damages. Courts often use actual damages to determine the total amount for an award.

Civil Penalties (Punitive Damages)

Some anti-retaliation laws make landlords pay an extra civil penalty (punitive damages) to tenants on top of actual damages. Punitive damages are usually calculated from a multiplier on either costs or rent. The law doesn’t always cleanly divide between punitive and actual damages, as shown in the table below.

Attorney Fees

Attorney fees do not count as a retaliation cost by default. They are a separate issue. An attorney is often the most expensive part of a retaliation case, so it’s important to know if tenants can recover this cost from the landlord.

Non-Monetary Awards

Money is not the most common or useful reward for winning a retaliation case. Anti-retaliation laws aim to protect tenants more than to punish landlords, so enriching tenants is not a focus. Tenants may benefit most from canceling the rental agreement, or getting an injunction to stop the landlord’s misconduct.

Monetary Award Amounts for Retaliation

State Damages Recoverable Attorney Fees?
Alabama Actual Damages or 3x Monthly Rent (whichever is greater) Yes
Alaska 1.5x Actual Damages Yes
Arizona 2x Actual Damages or 2x Monthly Rent (whichever is greater) Yes
Arkansas None No
California Actual Damages, Plus Up To $2000 Punitive Damages Per Retaliatory Act Yes
Colorado 3x Actual Damages or 3x Monthly Rent (whichever is greater) Yes
Connecticut Actual Damages No
Delaware 3x Actual Damages or 3x Monthly Rent (whichever is greater) No, Only Court Costs
District of Columbia Actual Damages Yes
Florida Actual Damages Yes
Georgia Actual Damages, Plus (If Retaliation Was Deliberate) Punitive Damages No
Hawaii Actual Damages Yes
Idaho Actual Damages Yes
Illinois Actual Damages No
Indiana Actual Damages Yes
Iowa Actual Damages Yes
Kansas Actual Damages or 1.5x Monthly Rent (whichever is greater) No
Kentucky Up To 3x Monthly Rent Yes
Louisiana Actual Damages, Possibly Plus Punitive Damages Yes
Maine Actual Damages No
Maryland Up To 3x Monthly Rent Yes
Massachusetts 1x-3x Monthly Rent Yes
Michigan Actual Damages No
Minnesota $1,000 per occurrence of retaliation Yes
Mississippi Unclear No
Missouri Unclear No
Montana Actual Damages or 3x Monthly Rent (whichever is greater) Yes
Nebraska 3x Monthly Rent Yes
Nevada Actual Damages Plus Up To $2500 Yes
New Hampshire Up To 3x Monthly Rent No
New Jersey Actual Damages No
New Mexico 2x Monthly Rent Yes
New York Actual Damages Yes
North Carolina Actual Damages No
North Dakota Unclear No
Ohio Actual Damages Yes, With Proven Damages
Oklahoma None No
Oregon 2x Actual Damages or 2x Monthly Rent (whichever is greater) Yes
Pennsylvania Actual Damages or 2x Monthly Rent (whichever is greater) Yes
Rhode Island Actual Damages or 3x Monthly Rent (whichever is greater) Yes
South Carolina Actual Damages or 3x Monthly Rent (whichever is greater) Yes
South Dakota 2x Monthly Rent Yes
Tennessee Actual Damages Yes
Texas Actual Damages, Plus Punitive Damages of Rent + $500 Yes
Utah Actual Damages Yes
Vermont Actual Damages Yes
Virginia Actual Damages No
Washington Actual Damages Yes
West Virginia Actual Damages No
Wisconsin 2x Actual Damages Yes
Wyoming None No

Sources