Evict a rogue Landlord - Shelter...

theartfullodger

https://www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/housing-law/397-housing-news/42100-council-secures-400k-confiscation-order-against-landlord-over-house-in-multiple-occupation-with-15-tenants

Joint action by Hillingdon Council’s planning enforcement and trading standards teams has seen a Hayes landlord ordered to pay more than £430,000 after she turned her property into an illegal House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

FreeBear

theartfullodger wrote: »

https://www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/housing-law/397-housing-news/42100-council-secures-400k-confiscation-order-against-landlord-over-house-in-multiple-occupation-with-15-tenants

They found Kaur had continued to illegally use the property as a large HMO, renting out rooms and the outbuilding to 15 tenants, despite previously being issued with an enforcement notice ordering her to change the property back to a single house.

Looking at First Ave (UB3 2EQ) on google maps, the houses are your typical three bed 1930s semis. To cram 15 tenants in to a house like that, she deserves that fine and the opportunity to spend five years in prison if it isn't paid promptly.

cloo

There definitely needs to be more done against the worst landlords. I am not a general LL-basher (having been one myself), but I am shocked that people who profit from dangerous, unhealthy properties or who harrass and abuse tenants, get at most a fine that adds up to a tiny % of their income - it's a slap on the wrist. LLs who behave abusively or endanger people should lose the right to be LLs and/or have property removed from them.


Building social housing to house the poorest would be the biggest help to stop exploitative LLs at the bottom of the market, who at the moment have a captive market that lacks the resources to mount any sort of legal action and that they can always replace with another desperate tenant.

Cakeguts

cloo wrote: »

There definitely needs to be more done against the worst landlords. I am not a general LL-basher (having been one myself), but I am shocked that people who profit from dangerous, unhealthy properties or who harrass and abuse tenants, get at most a fine that adds up to a tiny % of their income - it's a slap on the wrist. LLs who behave abusively or endanger people should lose the right to be LLs and/or have property removed from them.


Building social housing to house the poorest would be the biggest help to stop exploitative LLs at the bottom of the market, who at the moment have a captive market that lacks the resources to mount any sort of legal action and that they can always replace with another desperate tenant.

The problem now is that with the latest Conservative Party and Labour Party proposed fiddling with the private rentals if the good private landlords leave the market what you will be left with are more of these rogues. It is the law of unintended consequences. The only way you can get rid of the number of rogues is to make sure that people have more choice of good property to rent not to reduce the choice of rented properties which is what all parties seem intent on doing at the moment. The kind of person who lives in the property belonging to a rogue landlord can't afford the build to rent properties that all parties think will take over the private lettings market.

Comms69

cloo wrote: »

There definitely needs to be more done against the worst landlords. I am not a general LL-basher (having been one myself), but I am shocked that people who profit from dangerous, unhealthy properties or who harrass and abuse tenants, get at most a fine that adds up to a tiny % of their income - it's a slap on the wrist. LLs who behave abusively or endanger people should lose the right to be LLs and/or have property removed from them.


Building social housing to house the poorest would be the biggest help to stop exploitative LLs at the bottom of the market, who at the moment have a captive market that lacks the resources to mount any sort of legal action and that they can always replace with another desperate tenant.

The key thing is that tenants don't follow through.


So an illegal eviction, dealt with in the criminal courts tends to be on the lower scale of punishments. Typically it's a fine, if custodial is imposed it's likely suspended.


However you can hit rogue landlords much harder in the civil courts, where awards have been made for 5 and 6 figure sums

D_M_E

He had already been fined £340,000 and this for failing to do the work
https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2019/11/landlord-fined-340-000-in-2017-is-now-fined-another-150-000

D_M_E

Truro city landlord fined over £12,000

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/rogue-landlord-truro-city-centre-3607600

theartfullodger

Interesting article on Rogue landlords from a specialist firm of solicitors..
https://www.anthonygold.co.uk/latest/blog/rogue-landlords-and-trading-standards/

theartfullodger

Well done Camden council....
https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2020/1/council-tenant-who-owns-three-btl-properties-ordered-to-pay-almost-90k
..

..........was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years at Wood Green Crown Court. He was also fined £10,000, ordered to pay £73,767 in compensation to local and central government as well as Camden Council’s costs of £4,745. The fraud came to light when the tenant applied to purchase his council flat. ....

theartfullodger

Landlord & accomplices convicted and jailed over murder of tenant.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-51300916

Two men have been jailed for life for the murder of a tenant who was stabbed in the leg and left to die.

Courtney Valentine-Brown, 36, was killed at a flat in Roots Hall Drive, Southend, during an attempt to evict him because of a debt on 21 February.

At Basildon Crown Court, Ian Slater, 50, and Alex Stephens, 36, were told they must serve at least 26 years.

Landlady Kelly King, 31, and Stuart Pearson, 44, were each jailed for nine years for his manslaughter.

King and Pearson, both from Westcliff, were cleared of murder but found guilty of the lesser charge on Tuesday.

Well done those who brought the case.