A landlord who put locks on his tenants’ bathroom and cut off their gas and electricity in revenge for rent arrears has ended up with a court bill of almost £2,000.
Amrik Manku, 66, was first reported to Brighton and Hove City Council by one of his five tenants in November last year for not having an HMO licence for the house in Ashurst Road, Moulsecoomb.
And when the council sent Manku a letter informing this was a criminal offence, he started becoming aggressive to his tenants.
Prosecuting for the city council at Brighton Magistrates Court yesterday, Len Batten said: “The officer visited the property on 17 January … and was told that Manku and his son had been aggressive.
“Keypad locks had been fitted to the electricity cupboard and the bathroom to stop the tenants using them until they had cleared their rent arrears.
“The tenants had removed the locks by the time of the visit.
“On 31 January, a member of the public, Jenny, who lived in the adjoining property called and said the previous evening the defendant and his son had removed parts of the boiler, electricity box and front door lock, leaving the property insecure.”
Another visit was made, which confirmed the house was effectively without gas and electricity supply.
The court heard that each of the tenants was charged £5,200 per annum plus bills -bringing Manku £2,166 per month for all five tenants.
Manku, who lives in a five bedroom detached house in Amesbury Crescent worth an estimated £1million, had previously had an HMO licence for the two-storey house but after it expired in November 2017, he failed to renew it.
He said that this was because his daughter, a legal executive, had been responsible for the paperwork on the flat and had since moved abroad.
He added: “Five young men who set upon me, a 66-year-old man, what they have done is aggravated the situation and I can only apologise to the court for my behaviour.
“The tenants also changed the locks, once when I was abroad at the beginning of November and secondly in January. I have a right to inspect the property and any attempt to update the property was not possible because I could not get access.
“They actually barricaded the back door, denying me access and that’s unlawful on their part.”
He pleaded guilty to both charges – having control of an unlicensed HMO, and withdrawing or witholding services reasonably required for the occupation of the premises as a residence.
As the second charge is an unusual one, the bench took legal advice from the court clerk before fining him £460 for each offence, and ordering him to pay £960 in costs and £46 victim surcharge, bringing the total to £1,926.
As it was an unlicensed HMO the tenants can also claim 100% of the rent back that they paid him, as happened in the recent case…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/745ea8b2-2ef2-46ee-89ac-3e596b0efeb1
It’s a shame that the article doesn’t give the reasons that the tenants felt they had to stop paying rent.
The conditions that the landlord was making them live in was terrible – leaking sewage onto the bathroom floor, mice, external windows and doors that didn’t lock/shut, thick mould and damp, a leaking kitchen sink to name just a few.
The landlord would also let himself into the property whenever he wanted without prior notice.
The tenants were left with no choice but to withhold rent until the issues were resolved but instead the landlord took away the services, parts from the boiler and the front door lock!
Withholding rent because of a landlord dispute is foolish. Any rent due should always be paid to a responsible person or organisation [i.e. solicitors]so that they do not get into the difficult situation of high debt. The landlord did sound to be a callous money-grabbing chap who failed in maintaining his property; why wasn’t housing assistance or advice given/sought before the property became so squalid?
This does sound a very dodgy story on both sides.
I am one of his ex-enants and I am kept secret in my review of this multi millionaire. I am hurt of the picture of him as I loved the home I lived in for some time. Even if the conditions wasn’t pleasant I cleaned up the home and also cleared mould off the ceiling of the bathroom and helped clear your Garden full of mess that had been dumped by yourself up until the council sent letter to clear it or else… Yes Amrik it is me… The one who helped you clean your bathroom ceiling and garden… I remember you saying how you “knew all about me” a snakes cesspit is your home ground. Ditto your in fact a criminal and have broken all the rules. Surely it would’ve been cheaper to abide by the law and issue a section notice like your supposed to. See that’s the thing about you Amrik. People like you think you can do what you want and have no repercussions and such a pathetic law in this country you was fined a meagre sum. Well how costly of the 500k investment you had going on. Thought you could use defenceless vulnerable people to pay your bills like poor David who you said doesn’t have two pennies to rub together you sc*mbag thinking you can come over here buy our houses and break out law and the lives of people. A multi millionare who lost their house at the ridiculement of others who you placed into that position to retailiate and completely ruin their life in Brighton after I had made recovery and was determined to better my life. Remember you lost your home over £420. You could smoke that money and set fire to it. The same as you did my mattress no doubt. See you didn’t even give me time to replace that having me show someone around in my old room so you don’t have to (the audacity) well you got what you deserve from such a kind noble and caring lovin man in such a dim and dirty environment filled with evil spirits such as yourself. You should of let me pay you. You made this difficult for me to survive and to repay you and David as was what I wanted and as a result of your reckless irresponsible landlord ownership you only have what you made me do for yourself to blame. When I could of made money and paid you twice in advance you never ever did try to liaise with me like that bald @#£& downstairs who gives Brighton a bd reputation. Gonzales was told he was responsible for his car going missing. The money you are down on that house… The repairs .. the damages… It will necer be the same and you had the choice to allow me to pay you. I showed u respect. I showed u love. You cut my lifeline from judgement but allowed me into your home. .You have devastated my life in Brighton and for this I devastated your home. It hurts me. It really does as I try to not find good in my choices however you forced me to commit such actions and the Bengali shop on London road? I owed them 20p Amrik and I returned to pay them warning that you did this to me. Such a shame you are right and reckless. You are not responsible and took things to an uneeded level. What made you take the money from me in the misguided belief I owed you a four figure sum. Something I told you once, to never let three come between us. Of course it is your impulsiveness that made you act before allowing me to go through statements to then justify what was then too late. Everything I told you! You ignored and I wish I told you what was to come. I got sick and tired one night knowin I lost my home to a pretentious landlord who has no understanding for the ill health that resides inside his own community or for the human suffering innocent people are portrayed to be someone different when they are better than some rumour so whoever told you about me you have every right to pass on what I have done people seem to like to talk so I seem to want to give then something worthwhile to talk about.