A landlord who failed to properly license his flats for multiple occupancy in Leamington Spa is being made to pay 15 of his university student tenants more than £18,000 in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in England.
The students, who lived in two flats between September 2006 and June 2007, claimed the money back from Baljinder Bahi following a tribunal at Leamington Town Hall in October.
The tribunal also heard there were problems in the flats which Bahi failed to rectify. The landlord was contacted by Warwick District Council in April 2006 and despite several reminders he failed to submit licence applications. He was later prosecuted and fined £3,057.80 by Stratford magistrates.
Ken Harris of Warwick University’s advice and welfare department decided to pursue the case and used the introduction of recent legislation that allows students to claim rent repayment. They were represented at the tribunal by Josh Nawraf who is reading English at the university and who lived at one of Bahi’s properties.
In an interview with the Kenilworth Weekly News Josh said: “It was brilliant to hear we would get some of our money back and we’re just really grateful to the university for taking so much interest and fighting our case for us.
“ Mr Bahi was just very evasive throughout the year. He was really matey on the phone but then would just not get anything done.
“ It is nice to see that landlords can’t get away with doing nothing and that they have to hold up their end of the bargain.”
Cr Michael Doody, the councillor responsible for housing said the tribunal decision should be a warning that the council’s private sector housing team will actively pursue other landlords who have not submitted a licence application.
He said: “Any which proceed to prosecution will give the tenants the opportunity to make a similar claim.”
