Prosecution after tenant harassed and property poorly-managed

A private landlord in Sheffield has been prosecuted for harassing a tenant and failing to manage his property adequately.

Nilendu Das was convicted at the city’s magistrates court, was ordered to pay £2,412 in costs, fines and compensation to the tenant, and was ordered to undertake 180 hours of unpaid community work.

The court heard how Das bombarded his tenant with a large number of text messages which disturbed him at night and while he was working, so much so that he feared he would get the sack. On one occasion Das sent 10 messages in a three minute period and on another, 15 text messages throughout the day. 

Some of the texts told the tenant he must leave.

As well as pleading guilty of harassment in relation to one property in the city, Das also pleaded guilty to four health and safety breaches relating to a separate property elsewhere in Sheffield, with - according to a council statement - “tenants being put at an increased risk of harm by fire.” 

The court heard that there were damaged fire doors, an unprotected means of fire escape and faulty fire alarm systems.

Das has earlier convictions for failing to comply with an improvement notice and failure to manage properties correctly and two previous convictions for harassment in February 2012 and August 2013. On the last occasion he received a 49 day prison sentence.