13th
Apr 2016
An unprecedented court case has resulted in a landlord being issued with a Criminal Behavioural Order; and the ruling orders him to engage a managing agent to look after all his renting properties, which starts from June 1st.
The ruling is believed to the first time that such an action has been ordered by a court and means that the landlord will be under this restriction for the next ten years.
The Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court passed the ruling when it was proved without any reasonable doubt, that the landlord had caused considerable harassment and distress to his tenants by offering little or no property management of their ‘rented homes’.
The landlord was brought to court over two of his properties, however it was decided that the ruling would cover his entire portfolio within the city.
The ruling states that the landlord must appoint a third party agent to take over the management of his properties. He was also ordered to supply the council with a complete list of his properties and involvement in them for rental purposes.
If the landlord does not carry out his instructions in the order, most notably the appointment of a managing agent by June 1st, he could face a prison term of up to 5 years or an unlimited fine, perhaps even both.
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