diff --git a/services/email/banned.html.ejs b/services/email/banned.html.ejs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4fd8f191c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/email/banned.html.ejs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<%= body.replace(/\n/g, '<br />') %>
diff --git a/services/email/banned.txt.ejs b/services/email/banned.txt.ejs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b36560ec5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/email/banned.txt.ejs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<%= body %>
diff --git a/services/users.js b/services/users.js
index 9906ef6c0..e0f7d1599 100644
--- a/services/users.js
+++ b/services/users.js
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ module.exports = class UsersService {
     // TODO: current updating status behavior is weird.
     // once a user has been `APPROVED` its status cannot be
     // changed anymore.
-    return UserModel.findOneAndUpdate({
+    const user = await UserModel.findOneAndUpdate({
       id,
       status: {
         $ne: 'APPROVED'
@@ -410,6 +410,25 @@ module.exports = class UsersService {
     }, {
       new: true,
     });
+
+    if (status === 'BANNED') {
+      let localProfile = user.profiles.find((profile) => profile.provider === 'local');
+      if (localProfile) {
+        const options =
+          {
+            template: 'banned',              // needed to know which template to render!
+            locals: {                            // specifies the template locals.
+              body: 'In accordance with The Coral Project’s community guidelines, your account has been banned. You are now longer allowed to comment, flag or engage with our community.'
+            },
+            subject: 'Your account has been banned',
+            to: localProfile.id  // This only works if the user has registered via e-mail.
+            // We may want a standard way to access a user's e-mail address in the future
+          };
+        await MailerService.sendSimple(options);
+      }
+
+    }
+    return user;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/test/server/services/users.js b/test/server/services/users.js
index dddd5eda8..b4a15e3ba 100644
--- a/test/server/services/users.js
+++ b/test/server/services/users.js
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 const UsersService = require('../../../services/users');
 const SettingsService = require('../../../services/settings');
+const MailerService = require('../../../services/mailer');
 
 const chai = require('chai');
 chai.use(require('chai-as-promised'));
+const sinon = require('sinon');
+chai.use(require('sinon-chai'));
 const expect = chai.expect;
 
 describe('services.UsersService', () => {
@@ -15,7 +18,7 @@ describe('services.UsersService', () => {
     mockUsers = await UsersService.createLocalUsers([{
       email: 'stampi@gmail.com',
       username: 'Stampi',
-      password: '1Coral!-'
+      password: '1Coral!-',
     }, {
       email: 'sockmonster@gmail.com',
       username: 'Sockmonster',
@@ -25,6 +28,12 @@ describe('services.UsersService', () => {
       username: 'Marvel',
       password: '3Coral!3'
     }]);
+
+    sinon.spy(MailerService, 'sendSimple');
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    MailerService.sendSimple.restore();
   });
 
   describe('#findById()', () => {
@@ -149,7 +158,11 @@ describe('services.UsersService', () => {
         .then(() => UsersService.findById(mockUsers[0].id))
         .then((user) => {
           expect(user).to.have.property('status', 'ACTIVE');
+        })
+        .then(() => {
+          expect(MailerService.sendSimple).to.not.have.been.called;
         });
+
     });
   });
 
@@ -188,6 +201,12 @@ describe('services.UsersService', () => {
         .then(() => UsersService.findById(mockUsers[0].id))
         .then((user) => {
           expect(user).to.have.property('status', 'BANNED');
+        })
+        .then(() => {
+          expect(MailerService.sendSimple).to.have.been.calledWithMatch({
+            template: 'banned',
+            to: mockUsers[0].profiles[0].id
+          });
         });
     });