Tenant protected from eviction as council secures prosecution against landlord

A landlord has been ordered to pay £2,500 in fines, compensation and costs after Sheffield City Council successfully brought a prosecution against him.

Jama Ahmed Farrah, of Brunswick Street, Sheffield, was ordered to pay after pleading guilty at Sheffield Magistrates Court earlier this month to harassing two of his tenants. He was ordered to pay a fine of £600, compensation to the tenants totalling £600, costs of £1,060 and a surcharge of £240, totalling £2,500.

Mr Farrah pleaded guilty to a charge under section1(3A) of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 of doing acts likely to interfere with the peace and comfort of his tenants, causing the tenants to leave the shared house in which they lived in the Broomhall area of the city.

Cllr Douglas Johnson, Chair of the Housing Committee, said:

“We are committed to defending tenants’ rights, which is why we take cases like this one to court.

“The right to live in your home without the fear of being made to leave illegally is a basic human right and we will do all we can to make sure private tenants are protected from criminal behaviour and illegal eviction.

“I hope the prosecution serves as a stark warning to landlords that the safety of our tenants remains a priority. Where landlords put the welfare and safety of tenants at risk and wilfully disregard their obligations under the law, we are prepared to take action.”

The Council takes cases like these to court to make sure the law is enforced and to deter other landlords from acting like Mr Farrah did towards his tenants.

The Private Housing Standards team led the investigation. They investigate around 500 disrepair complaints a year while regulating houses of multiple occupation (HMO) standards to more than 2,000 properties in the city. We have also investigated more than 800 reports relating to landlord and tenant issues. Where serious or persistent breaches are identified landlords are prosecuted, but can also be fined up to £30,000 for certain offences.

Landlords have a responsibility in law and to their tenants to comply with the housing regulations and we encourage all landlords to be aware of these standards. If you have concerns about your own tenancy situation, or are concerned about a friend or family member, visit our website for advice on what to do at: Sheffield.gov.uk

For advice about problems with repairs or health and safety problems in private rented housing visit our website at: Sheffield.gov.uk