A buy-to-let landlord in Bristol has been ordered to repay more than £3,000 following investigations by the council’s Private Housing Rogue Landlord Unit.
Lucy Sherry was found to have breached the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, after she was found to have harassed her tenants, and did so with reasonable cause to believe that her conduct would lead to the tenants giving up occupation of the property.
Her actions included serving tenants with an invalid notice to leave the property in an attempt to evict them; invading the tenants’ privacy; arranging viewings of the property without notice; ignoring housing advice giving by Bristol City Council; and sending a series of harassing emails.
Sherry was ordered to pay £3,080 back to the tenants and £300 costs by the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) following a hearing on 9 June 2020.
Cllr Paul Smith, cabinet member for housing, commented: “If you are a private tenant being harassed in your home or if you have been illegally evicted, then you may be able to claim your rent back and we urge more tenants to come forward.”
