SEDGEMOOR District Council has successfully prosecuted a Somerset landlord from Bridgwater who illegally evicted his tenant, locked him out of the house and disposed of all his belongings.

It was all planned while the tenant was working night shifts.

The tenant returned home early in the morning after work to find himself homeless and possession-less.

Sedgemoor District Council welcomed the recent decision by the Taunton Magistrates Court to sentence the landlord with illegal eviction with a prison sentence of six months (suspended for 12 months), compensation to his tenant of £3,000 and costs of £250 to the council.

While magistrates accepted that the landlord had been ill, they took the decision that there were several aggravating features that made it a very serious offence:

The tenant had lost his home in St John Street, Bridgwater, for which he had regularly paid rent;

The tenant understood that he would get a month’s notice, which was in itself unlawful given the provisions of the Coronavirus Act which means that there is additional protection of six months;

The landlord had been advised by the council’s housing team prior to the eviction, that he must abide by the law and by his own admission the landlord chose not to do so;

The tenant lost all of his possessions many of which were personal and irreplaceable;

The bench wished to put on record the timely actions and effort taken by the council’s housing team in trying to support the tenant prior to the eviction and Bridgwater Town Cllr Glen Burrows' attempts to resolve the matter immediately after the eviction.

In sentencing, the court heard the landlord had made an early guilty plea, was of previous good character and was ashamed of his actions.