Hodge Jones & Allen

Our client approached the landlord of a friend regarding renting a property in the private sector.

She looked around the property and agreed to move in. After signing a tenancy agreement, her new landlady subsequently stated that she had to pay a deposit which our client could not afford to do. She had already given up the property where she was previously living and so found herself homeless.

Our client decided that she would therefore move into the property relying on the strength of the tenancy agreement. She let herself in through an open back door, and subsequently changed the locks of the property. Her landlady commenced proceedings on the basis that she was a trespasser.

Successful application

We successfully defended the application for an interim order and directions were laid down for trial. Ultimately, our client’s landlady agreed that there was a tenancy, and so our client could continue to live in the flat.

In addition, we were also able to secure our client a small amount of damages for some disrepair issues that her landlady had not attended to.