Court Lodger forced to move out in lockdown
ALANDLORD has been taken to court after he made his international student lodger move out during the second national lockdown last year.
Bristol City Council’s rogue landlord unit carried out an investigation and said Rowan Giles “aggressively demanded” that the lodger leave the property without reasonable notice.
A statement issued by the council said Giles, of Willada Close in Bedminster, has been handed a 12-month community order by Bristol Magistrates’ Court, including an eight-week tagged curfew, after “harassing his lodger”.
Giles has also been ordered to complete 15 days of rehabilitation work after admitting to interfering with the peace and comfort of one of his lodgers.
In the statement, Bristol City Council said: “The victim, an international student in Bristol, had found the spare bedroom in Mr Giles’ house advertised online, and moved into the property after travelling from abroad in October 2020.
“After weeks of living peacefully with one another, Mr Giles’ behaviour took a turn for the worse and in November 2020 he aggressively demanded that the victim leave the property with no notice, leaving her homeless when access to hostels, hotels, and other means of private accommodation was limited.”
Following a complaint from the victim, the council’s rogue landlord unit opened an investigation and brought a prosecution against Giles under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.
He pleaded guilty to the offence at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on August 23, the council said.
Kate Burnham-Davies, who prosecuted for the council, said: “It is the council’s strong position that this was entirely unreasonable and that the defendant’s actions amounted to harassment – designed to force the complainant to give up her occupation of the premises.
“This was entirely inappropriate in the circumstances nationally [COVID pandemic lockdown] especially as this was an international student who would not be entitled to housing support or allocation from the council.”
A statement provided by the victim and read aloud in court, as quoted in the council’s statement, said: “It was very sad to feel so alone. It was my first time living outside my home country, and the first time travelling to another continent, only to be treated like this.’’
It also revealed the student had to seek professional help for the impact the incident had on their mental health.
Giles was also ordered to pay the council’s costs of £1,000, and a victim surcharge of £95. The court also ordered him to pay the victim £750 in compensation.
Sentencing, presiding justice Joanna Mellors was quoted by the council as saying: “This case doesn’t reach the threshold for a custodial sentence, but it is a very serious offence.
“We hope it was difficult for [the defendant] to hear the victim’s statement as this had a real impact on them and their health.’’
Cllr Tom Renhard, cabinet member for homes and housing delivery, said: “This significant outcome highlights our message that renters do have rights, and our officers will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action where those rights are interfered with.”