A landlord who did not secure the deposit of two students has been ordered to pay them £2,800. 

The order was made by a first tier housing tribunal in Scotland and applies to landlord Ajitpal Dhillon, who was in dispute with student tenants Laura Pollock and Rhona MacKintosh about their Glasgow flat.

Media reports of the tribunal’s decision suggests that the pair paid a £1,395 deposit in May 2019 before moving in, but that was never lodged with any approved tenancy deposit scheme.

Consequently the tribunal ruled that the landlord was in breach of his duties and should pay a sum that was double the deposit, rounded up to £2,800.

Pollock and MacKintosh rented the flat for over a year but, during the first Coronavirus lockdown in spring of 2020, decided to move out. 

Following the ruling, Pollock told STV: “My motive for pursuing action through the tribunal has always been to hold Mr Dhillon accountable and for others to then know of his behaviour.

“As tenants in the lower position of power, we do not see how it is fair for us to be subject to this level of mistreatment from a landlord.”

And MacKintosh commented: “The courts are there to protect tenants and landlords alike, however, the process was lengthy and took a lot of courage.”