RR
Rent Regulations

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-74.5

Recovery of possession limited.

In Force
Verified 10/23/2026 · Next check 10/30/2026
effective 10/23/2026HawaiiLockouts & Self-Help

Operative Text

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-74.5
The landlord shall not recover or take possession of a dwelling unit by the wilful interruption or diminution of running water, hot water, or electric, gas, or other essential service to the tenant contrary to the rental agreement or section 521-42, except in case of abandonment or surrender. A landlord who engages in this act shall be deemed to have engaged in an unfair method of competition or unfair and deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce within the meaning of section 480-2; provided that in addition to the penalties available under section 480-3.1, there shall also be minimum damages of three times the monthly rent or $1,000, whichever is greater. [L 1987, c 125, §1; am L 1990, c 34, §33]
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Hawaii Revised Statutes § 521-74.5 prohibits landlords from forcing a tenant out of a dwelling unit by deliberately cutting off essential services such as running water, hot water, electricity, or gas, unless the tenant has already abandoned or surrendered the unit. This tactic—sometimes called a 'self-help eviction'—is classified under Hawaii law as an unfair or deceptive trade practice. When a landlord violates this provision, the tenant is entitled to minimum damages equal to three times the monthly rent or $1,000, whichever is greater, in addition to any other penalties available under Hawaii's consumer protection statutes.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 23, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-74.5, compliant property owners maintain all essential services—water, hot water, electricity, and gas—throughout the tenancy in accordance with the rental agreement and § 521-42, regardless of any rent dispute or desire to reclaim the unit. Operators who need to regain possession of a unit use the formal eviction process established by Hawaii law rather than any interruption of utilities or services. Violations of this provision expose a landlord not only to consumer-protection penalties under § 480-3.1 but also to mandatory minimum damages of three times the monthly rent or $1,000, whichever is greater.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-74.5 gives tenants a clear legal protection against landlords who shut off water, hot water, electricity, gas, or other essential services as a means of forcing them to leave. If a landlord engages in this conduct, the law classifies it as an unfair and deceptive trade practice, and tenants may be entitled to minimum damages of three times the monthly rent or $1,000, whichever is greater, plus additional remedies under § 480-3.1. Tenants who believe this provision has been violated may consider documenting the service interruption, contacting a local tenant-rights organization, or consulting with an attorney to understand the enforcement paths available to them.

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 23, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 23, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 480-2
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 480-3.1

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-71
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-70
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-70
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-62
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-43
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-72
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-63
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-80
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-80
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-71
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44

Related Rules

§ 27
Jurisdiction of courts to restrain violation of Secs. 23 to 26; applicability of other laws to requests to change locks
§ 18
Entry into land; legal proceedings required to recover possession of land or tenements; jurisdiction
§ 5-3-12-1
LOCKOUTS PROHIBITED

Source Information

Source:https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol12_Ch0501-0588/HRS0521/HRS_0521-0074_0005.htm
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Fetched:Oct 23, 2026, 07:08 AM UTC
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