Nicole May, a Cardiff landlord, was prosecuted for attempting to evict her tenant via WhatsApp.

Cardiff Council successfully brought the case to Cardiff Magistrates' Court, where May pleaded guilty to illegal eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. Consequently, she was ordered to pay a fine of £945.

On February 14, the court was told that the tenants of Ms. May's property on Moorland Road in Splott were thrown out of their rented home on May 28, 2024.

This occurred after Ms. May and her family members entered the property without permission and demanded that the tenants leave.

A few weeks prior, Ms. May had sent a WhatsApp message to the tenants requesting them to move out, but she did not provide the proper legal notice.

After a confrontation at the property on May 28, which required police intervention, the tenants vacated the premises and had to depend on family and friends for accommodation and to store their belongings.

Ms. May was ordered to pay a fine of £461 as well as £300 in costs, and given a victim surcharge of £184.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said: “The tenants involved in this case have been left very troubled by the whole experience but we hope that by highlighting situations like this, other tenants will be aware of their rights and the importance of seeking assistance from the Council.