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.”
Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.
The typical deposit a tenant has to pay when moving in...
The existing tenant deposit system is “broken” and in desperate need...
When renting out a property, most landlords or their letting agents...
The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) is celebrating a decade of...
The vast majority of tenants are unaware of new laws introduced...
Despite the recent tax crackdown, buy-to-let continues to look an attractive...
The property market had enjoyed a boost thanks to the outcome...
There wasn’t much by way of good news in the Spring...
National Landlord Investment Show has announced that the former Leader of...
Twenty twenty-four is a pivotal year for landlords in the Private...
The management of BTL properties, whether it's a modest collection of...
We are thrilled to report that the first National Landlord Investment...
Private landlords applied for licences covering more than 12,000 homes during...
A council has prosecuted a landlord for letting out two HMOs...
The Labour-led government in Wales has issued a consultation proposing the...
Another council is looking for landlords with rental properties to match...
.png)
Landlords and renters’ activists are at either end of the spectrum...
A prominent lettings sector expert is blaming the media for anti-landlord...
Who are you and what does it say on...
Who are you, and what does it say on...
Who are you? I am the Head of Broking for...
Join the conversation
Jump to latest comment and add your reply
These two kids will struggle to get a flat next term.
As deposit regulations have been in place for since 2007, I am sure that this landlord should not be in the business, that’s a very dull error. However I don’t believe the noble intentions of the tenants, they suffered no loss on the face of it so they did pretty well didn’t they?
The Scottish deposit regulations actually came in a few years later (once the SNP got truly into their anti-landlord stride) but your point is still valid. No sensible landlord would make such a basic error, especially when it's pretty easy to jump that particular hurdle.
The Glasgow student market is big but well connected. This pair might regret their "public spiritedness" as I am sure all Letting Agents will have them on their radar, particularly for bailing out last March at the earliest opportunity as well as screwing the landlord out of an additional £2800 - both quite legal options but not conducive to good future landlord relationships.
Many students who did bail out, using the loony SNP 28 day notice clause, found it impossible to get decent flats in September as these were snapped up by the forward thinking students who committed and paid for them from June onwards, leaving only the dregs available in September.
"the process was lengthy and took a lot of courage" Yes very courageous getting a housing tribunal to do their dirty work.
Sum result -
1) Inept Landlord now will load the rent to make up for his £1400 fine on top of this years losses
2) Laura Pollock and Rhona MacKintosh used a 28 days notice perfectly legal in Scotland and are names that are on the internet.
3) And as Robert alluded to will struggle to get a flat next term
So fellow LL's would you be happy to rent your property in future to these two?
What they done was perfectly legal, but now we have their names I wouldn't rent to either of them.
Jahan
What they did is actually now legal in Scotland but I know of over a dozen Glasgow flats that they have no chance of getting and would enjoy telling them why if our paths were to cross.
I wonder if potential employers who recruit in the annual milk round might be interested in their public spirited behaviour?
Actually Andrew/Robert yes I stand corrected it was in Scotland and you have the 28 days notice clause. Apologies they didnt break a contract illegally & I will amend my initial post now
The irony was some tenants never adhering to a six month tenancy agreement & saying they were leaving for various reasons
Please login to comment