A tenant has been awarded £53,000 in compensation after her landlord carried out an unlawful eviction and caused serious damage to the property. The ruling reflects both the financial and personal impact of the landlord’s behaviour.
The case has drawn attention from housing solicitors, who stress that it underlines the serious risks landlords take when they attempt to bypass legal eviction procedures. Unlawful evictions not only violate tenant rights but can also result in significant penalties.
According to Duncan Lewis Solicitors, who represented the tenant, she had lived in the property since 1999. Despite her long-term residency, she was repeatedly targeted by the landlord in a campaign of intimidation.
Matters came to a head in May last year, when the landlord decided to take extreme action. He chained up the gates of the property and blocked her access, leaving the tenant with little choice but to leave suddenly, taking only a few of her belongings with her.
When the court later ordered the landlord to return the keys, instead of complying, he escalated his actions even further. He began deliberately destroying the home, including pulling bricks off the roof and smashing windows.
These destructive actions rendered the property uninhabitable, leaving the tenant homeless for an extended period. The landlord’s refusal to follow due process compounded the distress and disruption caused to his tenant.
The court awarded £14,760 for the loss of belongings that the tenant was unable to recover. A further £38,250 was granted to reflect the 153 days she was left without a home, highlighting the seriousness of her ordeal.
In total, the award amounted to £53,000, a figure that illustrates the weight of the court’s judgment and the financial risk landlords expose themselves to when they ignore the law.
Speaking about the outcome, Johnley Videña, a caseworker at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, warned landlords that they must follow legal channels when trying to regain possession of a property.
He explained that landlords who take matters into their own hands are not only breaching their tenants’ rights but also exposing themselves to “serious financial penalties and legal consequences.”
Videña also described the case as a stark warning to other landlords, making it clear that the courts will not tolerate those who ignore due process and resort to unlawful measures.
The case further involved a contempt of court application, as the landlord initially refused to comply with the injunction requiring him to hand the property back. His defiance of the order only strengthened the case against him.
Although the tenant eventually regained access to her home, it was left in such a poor state that extensive repairs were needed before it could be lived in again. This prolonged the disruption to her life and added to the hardship she endured.
The solicitors representing the tenant hope the ruling will raise awareness among both landlords and tenants. For landlords, it serves as a reminder that the courts take unlawful eviction extremely seriously. For tenants, it shows that legal recourse is available when rights are violated.
Ultimately, this case demonstrates that landlords who fail to respect the law face not only financial consequences but also long-lasting reputational damage. The clear message is that due process must always be followed.