Landlord fined for ‘taking the law into his own hands’
A landlord was fined at Birmingham Magistrates Court today (13 January 2016) for ‘taking the law into his own hands’ and illegally evicting a couple and their seven children from their home in Bordesley Green.
Mr Mirsad Solakovic, age 37, of Kyotts Lake Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham was fined £700 , with £1,500 costs and a victim surcharge of £70 after being found guilty of unlawfully evicting a family from a property in Bordesley Green, in contravention of Section 1(2) of The Protection from Eviction Act 1977 on 2 October 2013.
Mr Solakovic had asked his tenants to leave without serving the appropriate notice. Birmingham City Council wrote to the agent who was managing the property at the time outlining the legal procedure to be followed to obtain possession. Although the agent served a new notice giving the tenant two months to leave, Mr Solakovic took ‘the law into his own hands’ and changed the locks.
When one of the sons living at the property came home later that day he discovered the locks had been changed and called the police. Mr Solakovic refused to let the family return. Instead he allowed one family member to enter and retrieve a few belongings, and then crammed the rest into the garage.
Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for Neighbourhood Management and Homes, Cllr John Cotton, said: “When relationships break down between tenants and landlords there are strict legal processes that have to be followed and council officers are here to help both sides move forward. In this case, Mr Solakovic took the law into his own hands and unlawfully evicted a family. Today’s prosecution sends out a clear message that we will not tolerate this behaviour and will pursue those landlords who operate outside the law. “
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