A slum landlord who waged a war of intimidation against tenants living in his squalid bedsits in Wembley before illegally evicting them has been given a jail sentence.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Rehan Sheikh illegally evicting the tenants from his property at 90 Wembley Park Drive (Pic: Brent Council)Rehan Sheikh illegally evicting the tenants from his property at 90 Wembley Park Drive (Pic: Brent Council) (Image: Archant)

Rehan Sheikh of Manor Drive, Wembley, threw out the six tenants, including one who had two young children, after giving them just two hours to leave the rundown House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) at 90 Wembley Park Drive.

Sheikh, who owns eight properties in Brent, refused pleas to wait until the children had returned from school during the eviction in February this year.

Willesden Magistrates’

Court heard he had obtained a possession order from the court to carry out the evictions after his tenants complained about the damp property which was in a state of terrible disrepair, with holes in ceilings, walls and floor and filthy carpets.

The front of the property, which he was receiving almost £3,000 per month in rents and had failed to obtain a mandatory HMO licence for, was also filled with dumped rubbish, furniture and household goods.

He ignored the mandatory 28-day notice needed to give to the tenants kicking them out on the same day.

During the eviction Sheikh attacked one of his tenants and was convicted of the assault in May.

Cllr Harbi Farah, Brent Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “This was an appalling case which caused great distress to the victims and demonstrates the necessity of our private sector licensing scheme.

“Good tenants and their children were forced from their home by this heartless landlord’s deliberate actions.”

“Brent Council will not tolerate this kind of criminal behaviour and we will prosecute any landlord or agent we find treating their tenants in such a despicable way. “

Sheikh, who pleaded guilty to all charges, has appealed his four month sentence and been granted bail pending a hearing.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £9,000 and compensation totalling £11,000 to the evicted tenants.

If you suspect that someone is renting out an unlicensed property in Brent you can report them anonymously by emailing prslicensing@brent.gov.uk or by calling 020 8937 2384/5.