A buy-to-let landlord in east London has been ordered to repay more than £5,000 to tenants she illegally evicted them after cutting off their electricity and changing the locks.
Gloria Nolte was found liable for a £5,055 repayment by a government property tribunal. The case was brought by mother and daughter Anita and Yazmin Summan, who claimed they endured verbal abuse, poor living conditions, and an illegal eviction while renting a two-bedroom property on Sturge Avenue, Walthamstow.
It was alleged that the was infested with mice, had loose electrical sockets, and a noisy boiler. It also found the home was not properly licensed. The tenants also claimed that the electricity supply could be accessed by a neighbour.
The dispute was triggered after Anita fell into rent arrears totalling £17,000. She claimed harassment from the landlord and her husband contributed to her decision to stop paying rent, alongside financial hardship and ill health.
According to the tribunal, Anita lost her job in November 2023 and said she had to rely on family and friends for financial support as she did not receive Universal Credit.
During cross-examination, Anita said she withheld rent to save money for an alternative property after a falling-out with the landlord.
When she and her daughter Yazmin were evicted last spring, they were forced to leave possessions behind after the locks were changed without legal notice.
The landlord, denied the accusations and argued that she was owed the rent arrears in full. Her representatives described the repayment penalty as excessive, claiming Nolte had been forced to pay her mortgage with a credit card due to the tenants’ non-payment.
In his judgement, Judge Shepherd acknowledged the illegal eviction and poor property conditions but also criticised the tenants for failing to honour their rental agreement. He ruled that Nolte likely changed the locks in “desperation” due to the growing arrears.
He said: “Applying the other criteria under the Act, there was evidence of poor conduct by the Respondent. We consider that the premises were in disrepair and there probably was an unlawful eviction in April 2024. However, we also consider that the substantial arrears incurred by the Applicants after the relevant period demonstrated very poor conduct on their part.”
Judge Shepherd awarded Anita 30% of the £16,850 rent she had paid during the tenancy, amounting to £5,055. No additional compensation was granted to cover application and hearing fees.
You can read the full judgement here.
Read the orginal article: https://propertyindustryeye.com/btl-landlord-fined-for-cutting-off-power-to-tenants-who-were-17k-in-arrears/
