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Lettings agency fined £10,000 for illegally evicting tenant

Birmingham firm Principal Homes has been found guilty of the illegal eviction, which proceeded despite the tenant only being a month behind in the rent.

Nigel Lewis

lettings agency illegal evictxion

A Birmingham lettings agency has been fined £10,000 for kicking out a tenant who was only late with one month’s rent payment.

Principal Homes in Walsall Road, Great Barr, was found guilty of unlawfully evicting Natalia Szergejev from her tenancy in Gravelly Lane (pictured), Erdington, in June 2019. The company lists on Rightmove and is a member of UKALA.

Ms Szergejev had lived at the property since June 2017 and went abroad in January 2019 to study, with the intention of returning to her flat.

She had told Principal Homes of her plans and had agreed for a joint tenant to pay the rent in her absence.

But the rent due in May 2019 was not paid by the joint tenant who had left the property.

Short notice

When she was told the news, Ms Szergejev paid the rent then emailed and texted lettings agency staff informing them of her intention to return at short notice to the flat.

When she arrived back the following month, Ms Szergejev was unable to gain access to her flat as the lock had been changed.

Principal Homes was fined £10,000 along with a victim surcharge of £170, ordered to pay costs of £3,084 and £1,053 compensation.

shabrana hussainCouncillor Shabrana Hussain (pictured), cabinet member for homes and neighbourhoods, says it is an excellent result. She adds: “We hope it sends a clear signal to all private landlords about their responsibilities and that they must keep within the law.”

Birmingham Council has just launched a 10-week consultation into proposals for a new selective licensing scheme for private landlords.

Read more about illegal evictions.

 

October 28, 2021

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