A rogue landlord has pleaded guilty to unlawfully evicting her tenant and has been sentenced to a community order.
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Mrs Rukhsana Tariq pleaded guilty to unlawfully evicting her tenant Mr Hakeem Shiittu from his room in Williamson Way, Oxford.
The court heard that on 7 April 2012, the 38-year-old dumped Mr Shittu’s belongings outside, changed the lock to the front door and refused to allow him back in.
Police officers tried to persuade Mrs Tariq to allow Mr Shittu to keep his belongings in his room over the weekend as he was unable to arrange storage but she refused.
Following the unlawful eviction, Mr Shittu was forced to sleep rough on several occasions.
Mrs Tariq, of High Street, Sutton, pleaded guilty when she appeared at Banbury Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 17 January 2013.
She was sentenced at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 8 February 2013. She was given a community order with an unpaid work requirement of 80 hours, ordered to pay £460 compensation to Mr Shittu and £1162.50 in costs.
Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader of the Council and Board Member for the Private Rented Sector says: “The courts have sent out a strong message by tackling this rogue landlord.
“It is the Council’s responsibility to help protect the vulnerable and we are working hard to make sure tenants in the private rented sector in Oxford are not being exploited.
“There is a clear legal process for landlords who want to evict their tenants and the courts have backed up our policy of taking tough enforcement action against those who illegally take tenants homes from them.”
In June 2012, Bayton Fundira, was sentenced to three months in jail and ordered to pay £4500 in costs and compensation for illegally evicting a young couple and their 4 month old baby in November 2011
