Rogue landlord prosecuted for unlawful evictions in Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes City Council has prosecuted a rogue landlord who turned off utilities for their tenants before unlawfully evicting them.

The landlord, who has not been named, forcefully evicted the tenants by turning off the gas and electricity and also changed the locks to repossess the property.

Despite attempts to resolve the matter, the landlord refused to engage with the tenants. As a result, they were wrongfully evicted and left without access to the property or their belongings.

The tenants got in touch with the City Council, who then stepped in to provide accommodation and launched a full investigation leading to court proceedings.

Last week, the court found the landlord guilty of unlawful eviction and ordered them to pay a £3,000 fine.

They were also asked to pay £449.60 in full costs to Milton Keynes City Council, £2,150 in compensation to the tenants to cover emergency costs and unrecovered personal belongings, and a victim surcharge of £1,200.

MK City Council said that they work proactively to ensure landlords meet their legal obligations and tenants are protected. Anyone experiencing housing issues or unfair treatment from a landlord is urged to contact its housing team for support on [email protected].

Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Ed Hume, said, “Let this be a clear example that unlawful evictions will not be tolerated in Milton Keynes. Tenants have rights and we will use every tool at our disposal to protect them. I’m proud of the work colleagues did to support the tenants and ensure justice was served.”