A landlord in northern France is trying to force his tenants to leave in the middle of winter by removing the doors and windows on his property.

In France, as in many European countries, it’s illegal to evict tenants in wintertime, even if they are behind on rent. However, one landlord in Pas-de-Calais, a department in northern France, is trying to skirt around the law by forcing his tenants to vacate the property without actually asking them to leave. On December 20, a team of workers arrived at the property and started disassembling the doors and windows under the pretext of replacing them. However, the tenants claim that they just loaded up the old doors and windows in a car and drove away, leaving them to brave the cold and face potential intrusion at all hours of the day and night.

Photo: Andrik Langfield/Unsplash

The tenant, a mother of one, told TF1 Info that she tried reaching out to the landlord after the incident, but they have been unreachable. Left with no other option, the woman barricaded the windows and doors with cardboard. She claims she is too terrified to leave the property now, so she spends all of her time at home.

Contacted by French media, the landlord took responsibility for their actions, admitting to having the doors and windows on her property removed, adding that she only did it because the tenant failed to keep up their end of the bargain.

“They didn’t insure the house. In fact, we had agreed together that she would pay. She owes me five months’ rent,” they told France Info.

The French Homeowners’ Association told reporters that they understand the landlord’s motives, adding that the method used to coerce the tenants into leaving the property is completely illegal. The tenant has filed a complaint for breach of trust and is looking for social housing.