Sheffield’s local media has been covering a major story on the Acorn activist group’s campaign against a landlord that has left them out of pocket to the tune of £100,000 in court costs and damages. The court order was levied against the group to settle a case for breach of data rights, harassment and defamation of character.

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The landlord’s defence team called ACORN’s actions “a campaign of harassment”.

The group’s campaign was reported to have included confronting and filming the landlord at her house, blogging and posting obnoxious statements across social media, holding placards with slanderous ‘statement’s, threatening her using a loud hailer, accosting her in public and carrying out a ‘public meeting’ slating her outside the Sheffield town hall.

The activists also targeted her neighbours with a campaign of leaflets calling the unfortunate landlord “dodgy”.

The dispute that caused this was between the landlord and her tenant which was only over £300, apparently the tenant is an ACORN member.

The solicitors acting on behalf of the landlord, said the group’s concerted campaign was carried out over four months which included “noisy demonstrations involving scores of people as well as highly defamatory and incorrect posts on social media”.

The Sheffield Star contacted the landlord and quoted her saying: “The last two years have been unbearable and frightening. I’m relieved and pleased the case has been resolved in my favour and now the harassment will stop. I also wanted to prevent this from happening to other business owners.”

A spokesman for the solicitors told the Sheffield Star: “We are delighted to have successfully acted for [landlord] Mrs Rafique in this case and to have brought it to a close in her favour and Century One’s favour. Unfortunately, despite being in the wrong in their allegations against Mrs Rafique, the tenant and ACORN embarked upon a campaign of harassment against her. Clearly, there is a place for legal and legitimate campaigning, but the tenant’s and ACORN’s conduct seriously crossed the line.”

ACORN’s settlement besides having to pay around £100,000 in costs and damages to the landlord and Century One Estates, stated they would not repeat their actions and sent her a written apology.

Nick Ballard, the group’s head organiser, says: “We can't comment on the specifics of this case but ACORN remains committed to its mission of winning justice for and protecting its members and advancing the cause of low income people and communities across the country. Nothing will deter us from this.”