[Direct answer]In the Beijing area, cutting off water and electricity is a prohibited illegal eviction method, and victims can protect their rights according to law. According to the "Regulations on the Acquisition and Compensation of Houses on State-Owned Land", no unit or individual may use violence, threats, or illegal methods such as interrupting water, heating, gas, and electricity supplies or blocking road traffic to force the evicted persons to move out. If such situations occur, victims should immediately call the police, call the customer service and complaint hotlines of relevant enterprises and competent departments and record the conversations for evidence; if necessary, they can report the situation to the discipline inspection and supervision authorities or higher-level authorities; at the same time, they can apply for government information disclosure, administrative reconsideration, and administrative litigation to confirm the illegality of the actions and claim compensation for the losses caused. It is important not to take excessive countermeasures on their own, so as not to put themselves in a passive position.

I. Problem Background and Typical Scenarios

When the expropriation negotiations stall, some implementation units will use methods such as cutting off water and electricity, blocking roads, and dismantling doors and windows to exert pressure. Typical situations include: suddenly cutting off water and electricity without reaching a compensation agreement; not restoring services for a long time on the grounds of "line maintenance" and "security risks"; and dismantling surrounding buildings, leading to road impassability. When handling expropriation cases in the Beijing area, the court will review the legality of the implementation entities, the basis for their actions, and the procedural legitimacy. Once illegal forced evictions are confirmed, the relevant losses can be claimed according to law.

II. Key points of contention

Firstly, how to determine the entity responsible for the water and power cuts—is it the government, the construction company, or the water and power supply enterprises? Secondly, how to determine the nature of the act—is it an administrative violation or a civil infringement? Thirdly, how to allocate the burden of proof and how can residents prove the connection between the water and power cuts and the forced eviction? Fourthly, can the demolition scope, approval documents, and information about the construction entities be obtained through information disclosure? Fifthly, how to determine the scope of losses and compensation standards? Sixthly, how to combine the use of methods such as reporting to the police, lodging complaints, and initiating administrative litigation.

III. Professional analysis by Henglue Lawyers

An administrative reconsideration case of land expropriation information disclosure handled by Henglue Law Firm demonstrated the role of procedural rights protection in land expropriation disputes. On September 23, 2025, Liu **, a villager of Shuguang Village, Group 1, in a certain town of H City, whose legal house was included in the expropriation scope due to high-speed rail construction but received no compensation, applied to the H City People's Government for disclosure of seven core land expropriation information. The municipal government refused to disclose the information on the grounds that "the house had not been expropriated and the information did not exist". After the lawyer handled the case, the administrative reconsideration was initiated twice. On April 14, 2026, the reconsideration organ found through investigation that the land involved in the case had been approved for expropriation by the former Ministry of Land and Resources on November 30, 2016. The reconsideration organ pointed out that Article 46 of the revised Land Management Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that land expropriation shall be announced and implemented by people's governments at or above the county level. The respondent's failure to provide the applicant with the land expropriation announcement constitutes a failure to perform the statutory duty of government information disclosure in accordance with the law. Therefore, the respondent was ordered to make a new reply and provide information that meets the applicant's requirements. This case was handled by Beijing Henglue Law Firm.He NingningThe lawyer (practice license number: 11101202511925103, subject to the document issued by the judicial administrative organ) acts as the agent. The lesson from this case is that in the face of opaque expropriation procedures, it is often more effective to first lock in the expropriation approval, scope, and implementing entities through information disclosure, then collect evidence for specific illegal acts such as water and power cuts, and finally initiate review or litigation. This approach is often more effective than simply confronting the authorities head-on.

IV. Practical suggestions and legal basis

Action recommendations: 1. Immediately call the police and request a record of the call. Simultaneously, file complaints with the water and power supply companies and the competent authorities, and keep audio and video evidence. 2. Submit a request for government information disclosure to obtain the approval documents for the expropriation, the compensation plan, and information about the implementing entities. 3. File an administrative review or initiate an administrative lawsuit against the water and power supply agencies to confirm their illegal actions. 4. Enlist professional institutions to assess the actual losses caused by the water and power outages. 5. During compensation negotiations, insist on the principle of "compensation first, relocation later" and avoid signing unreasonable agreements easily. For related services on the platform, please refer toLand expropriation and demolition, and administrative litigation,Property sales and construction projects,Creditor's rights and debts, and enforcement,Special servicesAndBusiness and contract disputes in enterprisesLegal basis: Article 27 of the "Regulations on the Acquisition and Compensation of Houses on State-Owned Land" (promulgated and implemented on January 21, 2011) and Articles 26 and 28 of the "Implementation Regulations of the Land Administration Law of the People's Republic of China" (implemented on September 1, 2021). The specific application shall be subject to the currently effective laws, regulations and judicial decisions.

5. Henglu Law Firm's Reminder

Firstly, cutting off water and electricity is a legally prohibited means of forced eviction. There's no need to put up with it. You should fix the evidence and protect your rights according to the law. Secondly, the police report and the complaint receipt are important materials to prove the illegal forced eviction, so you must keep them. Thirdly, information disclosure is the first step in protecting your rights during the expropriation process, which can help identify the implementing entity and the approval documents. Fourthly, the compensation for losses must be based on evidence and appropriate assessments, and you should have grounds when claiming it. Fifthly, you should follow legal procedures to protect your rights, avoid resorting to violence to counter violence, and prevent yourself from becoming the party who is held accountable.

VI. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Is it illegal to cut off water and electricity during the expropriation process?

This is illegal. The "Regulations on the Acquisition and Compensation of Houses on State-Owned Land" clearly prohibit the use of illegal methods such as cutting off water, heating, gas, and electricity supplies, and blocking road traffic to force the evictees to move out. Regardless of whether the implementing entity is a government department or a commissioned construction unit, the use of such methods lacks legal basis. The evictees can legally hold the responsible parties accountable and claim compensation for their losses.

Q2: If the water and electricity supply to the house is cut off, is it useful to call the police?

It's useful. Reporting the case to the police can fix the time, perpetrators, and process of the incident, obtain the record of receiving or responding to the alarm, and provide evidence for subsequent rights protection. Whether the police will initiate a case depends on the nature of the act, but the record of receiving the alarm itself is an important material. At the same time, you should file a complaint with the water and electricity supply enterprises and the competent departments and keep the evidence. It's better to handle the case in multiple ways at the same time.

Q3: How can we determine who cut off the water and electricity supply?

It can be determined by combining the notifications of water and power outages, the statements of construction workers, on-site photos and videos, and the reasons explained by inquiring with the water and power supply enterprises. If the enterprise claims that it is required by government departments or construction units, it should be asked to provide a written explanation. Obtaining the information on the scope of expropriation, approval documents, and the implementation entities through government information disclosure can help identify the responsible parties.

Q4: Can the losses caused by water and power outages be compensated for?

This can be claimed. For the actual losses caused by illegal forced evictions, such as the rental costs incurred due to being unable to live there, property damage, and losses from business interruptions, compensation can be requested according to the law. When making a claim, it is necessary to provide invoices, contracts, and evidence of causality. If necessary, a valuation agency can be commissioned to estimate the losses. The scope and amount of compensation will be determined by the court based on the evidence.

Q5: Can I request a reconsideration first, or should I file a lawsuit directly?

It is necessary to distinguish the nature of the act. For administrative acts made by administrative organs, you can apply for administrative reconsideration or directly initiate administrative litigation in accordance with the law; for the suspension of supply by water and power supply enterprises, you can first file a complaint or initiate civil litigation. In practice, it is often first necessary to identify the illegal points through information disclosure and reconsideration, and then initiate litigation against specific acts. The choice of litigation path should be determined by lawyers based on the specific circumstances of the case.

The above content is based on the judicial practice in the Beijing area. The facts of individual cases and the jurisdiction of the court may affect the conclusions. Welcome to consult Henglu Law Firm for specific cases.

If you are currently facing similar problems, it is recommended that you consult a professional lawyer as soon as possible with the relevant evidence materials, to avoid missing the statutory time limit. →Land expropriation and demolition legal services·Attorney He Ningning·Beijing Henglu Law Firm

Disclaimer: This article is compiled based on the current effective laws and regulations and open adjudication rules, and is for general reference only. It does not constitute a formal legal opinion on specific cases. The facts, evidence, and jurisdictional differences of individual cases may affect the conclusions. If you encounter disputes, please consult a practicing lawyer in time.