10:00am Wednesday 27th February 2013
LANDLORD, Rukhsana Tariq, found herself before the courts for illegally evicting a tenant at Rose Hill estate, this action being against the law as it should be (Oxford Mail, February 20).
Ed Turner, Oxford City Council board member for the private rented sector, said: “The courts have sent out a strong message by tackling this ‘rogue landlord’ with sentencing of 80 hours’ community service, £1,162.50 costs with £460 compensation.”
Don’t celebrate too quickly Ed. It may seem tough enforcement action but I believe this landlord got off lightly. It can cost thousands of pounds to use the ‘clear’ legal court process and take many months to evict a ‘rogue’ tenant.
The reason Ms Tariq evicted her tenant was not given, it is very often non-payment of rent, after all this is what the landlord is in business for. She may have taken a calculated risk and is now sticking two fingers up at the council and judicial system.
Financially, she has won a resounding victory, her unwanted tenant gone.
Alan Kerry Newman Road Littlemore Oxford
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