A Walthamstow family has been awarded £5,000 after their landlord cut off power amid a rent dispute, highlighting serious tenant rights issues.
The tenants, Anita and Yazmin Summan, claimed they faced verbal abuse from their landlord, Gloria Nolte. They had missed some rent payments for their two-bedroom home. They also reported issues like a mice infestation and noise from the boiler.
Things got really messy when the landlord changed the locks while they were away. This happened between March 31 and April 10 last year. Since moving in, the Summans had racked up over £17,000 in unpaid rent.
Anita said the stress from the landlord and her health problems made it hard to keep up with payments. After losing her job in November 2023, she relied on family and friends for help.
During the tribunal, Anita mentioned she pointed out issues like loose sockets right after moving in. She also had a run-in with the landlord’s husband, who allegedly told her to leave.
Anita felt she was bullied by a neighbor, who she thought was acting on the landlord’s orders. She ended up withholding rent to find a new place, but that led to her being evicted and leaving her belongings behind.
Yazmin also shared her struggles with health issues that made it tough for her to work and pay rent after surgery.
The landlord’s side denied all the claims and argued that the penalty should be zero. They said they were struggling financially because of the unpaid rent.
The tribunal found that the rental property didn’t have proper licensing. Anita then sought to get back the £16,850 she had paid in rent.
In the end, the judge decided that Anita should get a 30% refund of the rent. He noted there was likely an illegal eviction but also pointed out the overdue rent.
The judge said both sides had acted poorly. He concluded that while the landlord’s actions were desperate, the tenants had also failed to meet their obligations.
Ultimately, the Summans were awarded £5,055, but the tribunal didn’t add any extra fees for the application or hearing.
