Black Hills State University: Can a private landlord force an employee household out by changing locks or cutting utilities?

DIRECT ANSWER

Private-tenancy consumer guidance, not university disciplinary housing; no automatic damages award or permission to ignore court papers.

The retained guide says a landlord may not lock out a tenant or interrupt essential utilities and describes court-ordered eviction as the lawful removal process. It explains that unlawful self-help can permit recovery of possession or ending the agreement and possible loss-of-use or out-of-pocket damages. Preserve the actual events and seek the applicable remedy rather than treat a landlord’s lock change as a completed lawful eviction.