You Are Fired Limited: Sheffield landlord company must pay over £2k for "trampling over the rights of tenants"
A Sheffield landlord company has been fined £2,000 and made the subject of enforcement action, as a city court was told they were responsible for “trampling over the rights of tenants.”
The action has been brought against You Are Fired Limited, after the firm pleaded guilty at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court to an offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.
The offence incorporated a number of acts committed against the tenants of a property they had rented out.
These include:
- Repeatedly entering the house uninvited
- Repeatedly demanding that the tenants leave the property
- Changing the locks to prevent entry
- Interfering with the tenant’s belongings
- Physically preventing entry to the property
- Preventing the use of the living room by the tenants
You Are Fired Limited were brought before Sheffield Magistrates’ Court earlier this month, when they were ordered to pay £2,268 made up of a £960 fine, £1,000 costs and a £308 victim surcharge. In passing sentence, the court’s calculation of the level of fine took into account the income of the company.
During the course of the hearing, a solicitor acting on behalf of the council said it was a case of the landlord “trampling over the rights of the tenants.”
Speaking after the hearing, councillor Douglas Johnson, chair of the council’s housing policy committee, said: “The right to live in your home without the fear of being made to leave illegally is a basic human right, and we do all we can to ensure private tenants are protected from bullying behaviour and illegal eviction.
“This prosecution sends a clear message: the welfare and safety of tenants remain our priority, and we will stand ready to take action against those who break the law. This also supports the majority of law-abiding landlords in the city.”
A spokesperson for Sheffield City Council said case highlights the “council’s ongoing dedication to safeguarding Sheffield’s private tenants from bullying and criminal behaviour.”
“The verdict not only delivers justice for the tenants involved but also serves as a powerful deterrent to landlords who may seek to disregard their legal obligations,” continued the spokesperson.
As part of the proceedings against You Are Fired Limited, the council also took enforcement action about the condition of the property because of concerns about a lack of heating and hot water, fire safety and damp and mould.
The council says its private housing standards team investigates more than 600 disrepair complaints and advises over 900 tenants about their tenancy rights on average each year, and regulates House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) standards for over 2,000 properties throughout Sheffield.
Where landlords are found to have committed serious or persistent breaches, prosecutions or financial penalties of up to £30,000 can be pursued for offences.
Coun Johnson added: “We encourage all landlords to inform themselves about their responsibilities and to uphold the highest standards for the benefit of their tenants and the wider community.”