A landlord has been given a 24-week suspended prison sentence after admitting to harassing a tenant through a campaign of threatening messages and phone calls in an attempt to force an illegal eviction.
Janice Pope, of Higher Contour Road, Kingswear, Dartmouth, pleaded guilty at Cannock Magistrates’ Court to pursuing a course of action contrary to the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. The harassment began in January 2024 after the tenant, a mother of two, complained to Stafford Borough Council about poor conditions at the semi-detached property in the Walton area of Stone, Staffordshire.
Pattern of harassment
The court heard that Pope sent voice messages, texts and made repeated phone calls over a nine-month period. On one day alone, the landlord attempted to contact the tenant 35 times, with 21 calls made on another occasion. The communications included abusive messages, threats of bailiff action and demands for a rent increase of approximately 25 per cent.
Lucy Taylor-Grime, prosecuting for Stafford Borough Council, told the court: “There appears to be no justification for these actions other than to avoid compliance with the statutory obligations of a landlord. The tenant was left in a position of fear and intimidation by the defendant when there was no need to be.”
The former tenant told the court she was “terrified” to give evidence. The harassment began after she reported issues with damp and mould, a faulty boiler and inadequate ventilation at the property.
Legal consequences and market implications
In addition to the suspended sentence, Pope was ordered to complete 15 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and pay £754 in costs. At a separate hearing last year, she was fined nearly £3,500 for ignoring legal action to improve the property’s condition.
The case highlights ongoing enforcement challenges in the private rental sector. Landlord bodies have previously warned about the balance between tenant protections and maintaining rental supply, though this case represents a clear breach of existing legislation designed to prevent harassment and illegal evictions.
Stafford Borough Council assisted in rehousing the mother and her two teenage daughters following the harassment.
Councillor Ian Fordham, Cabinet Member for Environment at Stafford Borough Council, said: “We work closely with landlords, offering plenty of advice and support to ensure their tenants, who are our residents, have a home that is safe to live in. I would encourage any tenant who is worried about the state of their property, and unable to get their landlord to do the repairs, to contact us.”
Regulatory context
The Protection from Eviction Act 1977 makes it a criminal offence for landlords to harass tenants or attempt to evict them without following proper legal procedures. The case comes amid ongoing debate about standards in the private rental sector and enforcement of landlord obligations.
The conviction serves as a reminder of the legal consequences facing landlords who fail to meet their statutory obligations or attempt to circumvent proper eviction procedures. Local authorities retain powers to prosecute landlords for harassment and illegal eviction attempts, with penalties including imprisonment in serious cases.
