Landlord sentenced after illegally evicting tenant during Covid

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In August we published an interview with a senior Sunderland landlord who predicted that the financial and regulation challenges posed by Covid would tip many of his fellow landlords into evicting tenants illegally.

His comments were backed up only weeks later by a report that predicted a huge increase in illegal evictions across the UK.

And now a landlord in Barnsley has paid a high price for his part in this growing trend.

Thirty-nine year old landlord Gary Dulson has been sentenced at Barnsley Magistrates Court after it was revealed he had illegally evicted his tenant.

The case relates to March last year when Dulson’s tenant told him he was moving temporarily to his partner’s home to form a bubble.
Dulson then broke down the property’s front door, threw all the tenant’s belongings into a skip.

At the hearing Dulson pleaded guilty and has been ordered to pay compensation to the victim.

Unpaid work

He has also been sentenced to a 24-month community order, 200 hours of unpaid work, and a 15-day rehabilitation programme.

His conviction follows a joint investigation by Barnsley Council and South Yorkshire Police.

PC Paul Davies (pictured), of South Yorkshire Police, told Yorkshire Live that Dulson had “no regard for the victim or his family”, he said.

“Making people homeless by way of illegal evictions is a horrible crime.”

An investigation by The News Statesman magazine in August last year estimated that some 3,000 illegal evictions are taking place every month in England, based on council homeless figures.

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Leading foundation calls for government to solve England’s £375m rent arrears crisis

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An independent think-tank has backed calls for the government to introduce tenant hardship loans for renters impacted by the pandemic, revealing that 450,000 families renting in both private and social housing are behind with their payments.

The Resolution Foundation says that while the Universal Credit uplift of £20 a week and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) should be maintained, it also needs to focus on the large numbers of people under housing stress who can’t access financial help.

Its report shows that more than half (56%) of private renter families with arrears aren’t claiming benefits – the passport to the DHP system.

It says: “For this group, a tenant loan scheme, along with requirements on landlords to mediate, would go a long way towards an equitable and efficient resolution of the incipient housing cost crisis.”

Rent arrears

In January, 9% of families in the social rented sector were behind with their housing payments along with 6% of those renting privately, according to the foundation.

It estimates that the scheme would cost £375 million to operate in England, although it says: “It is fair to expect some quid pro quo from landlords if the state takes on the risk of non-payment of arrears via a tenant loan scheme.”

The report adds: “The time has come for the government to deliver on its promise of a pre-action protocol for private renters and require landlords to take serious steps to negotiate a payment plan with indebted tenants before proceeding to court.”

The National Residential Landlords Association agrees that simply banning repossessions is doing nothing to address underlying problems.

Meera Chindooroy (pictured), deputy policy director, adds: “The chancellor needs to develop an urgent financial package as called for by the Resolution Foundation to pay off arrears built since lockdown measures started last year. Only this will sustain tenancies and prevent renters facing the consequences of damaged credit scores.”

Visit the Resolution Foundation’s website.

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Landlord in ‘legal first’ crown court appearance over rent arrears harassment

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A landlord has appeared in crown court to confess to harassing his tenant in what is thought to be a legal first.

Matthew Betty admitted conducting behaviour intended to deprive his tenant of her lawful occupation of the property in Kilcooley, Bangor between December 2018 and May 2019.

Following the arraignment at Downpatrick Crown Court in Belfast, Judge Geoffrey Miller QC described it as an unusual case.

He added: “It may well turn out to be the first time in the UK, certainly the first time in this jurisdiction, that a landlord has been brought to the crown court.”

The court heard how Betty, of Ty Pwca Place, Gwent, Wales, turned up unannounced, banged repeatedly on the door, shouted at and intimidated a child who was alone in the house, causing her fear and distress.

Rent arrears

He then encouraged two men to visit the property, where they verbally intimidated and harassed the tenant’s young daughter about alleged rent arrears.

Betty also arranged for NI Water to disconnect her supply, having wrongly advised the firm that the house was unoccupied.

Betty later sent an email to Kilcooley Community Forum headed, ‘Undesirable Tenants/Animal Neglect/Child Welfare Concerns’, and copied it to NI Housing Executive, social services, Landlords Advice NI, North Down Community Network, numerous housing associations and several other government bodies.

Speaking after the hearing, the tenant said she and her teenage daughter were relieved it was finally over so they could start re-building their lives.

Describing Betty’s actions as “two years of hell,” she told The Belfast Telegraph: “I hope this makes a change for private tenants who are going through any kind of trauma with their landlord that they know there is help and without the council, this day would never have happened.”

During the hearing, the prosecution asked to have four other charges lie on file. Betty will be sentenced on 24^th February.

Picture: Belfast Telegraph.

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EICR work required but I have a section 21 problem tenant?

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Where do you stand if EICR work might need doing, but you have a broken relationship with a problem tenant who scared the electrician away and stated no electrical work will be done in the house?

A satisfactory report was given last June with a recommendation to install sockets in bedrooms due to there only being one socket currently in the bedrooms (this has obviously dragged on so long due to covid).

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ISA rates and choice plunge

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Moneyfacts UK Savings Trends Treasury Report data, not yet published, reveals that the expectations of a promising ISA season may well be dashed this year due to continued cuts to ISA rates. The savings market overall contracted month-on-month and product volumes have now reached their lowest recorded levels

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