A Tory MP has been caught on CCTV removing a security camera from the home of a tenant that he was attempting to evict.
Gary Streeter, an MP since 1992, has been trying to get Layla Williams out of a bungalow he owns on his farm in Plympton, Devon, since she ceased paying rent in January.
Mother-of-one Williams, 38, initially moved in to look after Streeter’s flock of horses in 2018 and house-sit while he and his wife were away after working for him for two years.
The MP for South West Devon secured a Section 8 Notice against Williams at Plymouth County Court and said he would get the bailiffs to remove her if she did not vacate soon.
He denied any form of harassment and added he secured the order because she had not paid rent for months.
But Williams said she had stopped paying rent on advice after claiming necessary repairs were noy being carried out.
She claimed a Section 21 had initially been served against her.
The tenant, who has now found a new property, added that she did not fight the order and would comply and move out soon.
Williams said she had three security cameras put up.
Streeter has been a Conservative MP for South West Devon since 1997, previously holding the nearby seat of Plymouth Sutton between 1992 and 1997.
He denied any form of harassment and claimed he had been “patient and kind” in dealing with her as a tenant.
He told the press: “The tenant was served with a section 8 notice because she has paid no rent since January 2023.
“For the past two years, to help her, we have accepted a lower rent of £550 per month for a two-bedroom bungalow in the South Hams, rather than £700 as per the tenancy agreement.
“There has been no harassment at any time, just a great deal of patient kindness.
“On 19th September 2023 Plymouth County Court granted an order for possession within 14 days, plus judgement for the £4,400 arrears plus costs.
“The bailiffs will be instructed as she has still not vacated.
“I will not be making any further public comment.”
I really struggle to understand landlords who endure tenancy issues because they’re trying to save a few pennies an hour
This right honourable gent is presumably saving himself about 11.5p an hour and for that he’s buying aggro and now embarrassment.
He’s not wrong to evict a section 8 tenant but the £200pcm reduction in rent eclipses the £84 he saved himself.
Bonkers!
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He should be ashamed. This is not how responsible landlords behave.
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What am I missing? What has the landlord done wrong? He’s allowed her to live there at a reduced rent.
Did the tenant seek permission to erect security cameras?
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Because he’s a Tory MP!
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Outstanding repairs is not a valid reason to withhold rent. Whomever gave her this “advice” is an idiot and caused her to get a CCJ.
The best course of action is to inform the landlord that should they not undertake the works within a reasonable timeframe, the tenant will organise it themselves and deduct the cost from the rent. Invoices should then be provided to prove costs.
What is a landlord supposed to do other than obtain a court order for rent arrears and then inform the tenants that they will be instructing bailiffs to enforce the order? Are we simply going to jump on the landlord hate bandwagon because a landlord has removed security cameras? Or simply because the tenant makes a claim? Or even simply because the landlord is an MP?!
Who installed/owns the cameras? Where they put up with the permission of the landlord? Do they form part of the tenancy? There’s so much information here we don’t know and yet people make assumptions.
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Because he’s a Tory MP!
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Haha, whilst I’m not a fan of any MP… I’m not going to jump on the bandwagon simply because “grrr landlord bad!”
If/when we get more information, we can make an informed opinion on the matter.
We’re not Shelter, lets not act like them.
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He and others, should know that the tenant is still “in possession” and as such he is not permittted to just turn up. As an MP of ANY party, he should know better.
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Doing ‘work’ outside the property seems OK to me. He didn’t force his way into ‘his’ property or compromise her privacy.
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That depends on whether her tenancy included the garden. Landlords are NOT allowed access without permission and anyone who does not know that should not be a landlord. I do not defend her not paying the rent, but his actions are reprehensible and do nothing to enhance the reputation of good landlords.
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