CAMPAIGNERS TAKE ACTION AGAINST CRIMINAL LANDLORDS

Community activists in Edinburgh have launched a campaign to lobby the City of Edinburgh Council for the effective enforcement of legislation against criminal landlords.

Research by Edinburgh Private Tenants Action Group (EPTAG) has found that no landlord has ever been struck off the landlord register, despite some landlords committing criminal offences against their tenants.

One Edinburgh based landlord, Mark Fortune, was recently convicted on October 12th for threatening his tenants with violence after they asked him to pay for repairs.

Fortune, 42, of Essex Brae Edinburgh has previously been banned from renting out HMO properties, amid allegations that he threatened council staff. Earlier this year was fined £1,000 for letting an HMO property without a licence. Fortune is still legally able to rent out properties in Edinburgh.

A spokesperson for EPTAG said: “Stricter enforcement of the law regarding criminal landlords is urgently needed to protect the rights and welfare of private tenants, many of whom are among the most vulnerable in our city. More resources needs to be put into stopping these unscrupulous landlords who abuse the rights of tenants, and break the law."

The formation of this group has coincided with the formation of a similar organisation in Glasgow, which also plans to campaign against criminal landlords.

Edinburgh Private Tenants Action Group was started by tenants who have had experiences of bad landlords, some of whom have been involved in previous campaigns against bad landlords and is a member of the Edinburgh Tenants Federation and Scottish Tenants Organisation.

Follow EPTAG on facebook.

Edinburgh Private Tenants Action Group http://eptag.org.uk/