Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-101 to 35-9A-603 § 35-9A-427
Recovery of Possession Limited.
Operative Text
A landlord may not recover or take possession of the dwelling unit by action or otherwise, including willful diminution of services to the tenant by interrupting or causing the interruption of heat, running water, hot water, electric, gas, or other essential service to the tenant, except in case of abandonment, surrender, or as permitted in this chapter.
Section 35-9A-427 of the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act limits the ways a landlord may lawfully regain possession of a rental dwelling. Outside of tenant abandonment, surrender, or procedures specifically authorized elsewhere in the chapter, a landlord cannot use self-help tactics — including deliberately cutting off heat, running water, hot water, electricity, gas, or other essential services — to force a tenant out. The provision treats such service interruptions as an unlawful method of recovering possession, placing them on equal footing with other prohibited forms of self-help eviction.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to § 35-9A-427 generally ensure that all essential utility services — heat, running water, hot water, electricity, and gas — remain uninterrupted for the duration of a tenancy, regardless of any payment dispute or desire to reclaim the unit. Compliant property managers pursue possession only through the formal legal processes authorized by the chapter, such as the statutory eviction process, and document any tenant-initiated abandonment or surrender carefully. Deliberately interfering with utility service as a pressure tactic to vacate a tenant falls squarely within the conduct this section prohibits.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 35-9A-427, tenants in Alabama have a right to continued essential services — including heat, running water, hot water, electricity, and gas — and a landlord's deliberate interruption of those services as a means of forcing a move-out is not a lawful method of recovering possession. If a landlord cuts off or causes the interruption of such services, that conduct may constitute a violation of this provision, and tenants can explore remedies available elsewhere in the chapter, such as seeking damages or other relief through the courts. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices familiar with Alabama landlord-tenant law can help explain the range of options available under the statute.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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