Derry private rental tenants lodge close to a hundred complaints about poor housing, evictions

Landlords and their agents have been accused of harassment, unlawful eviction and renting unfit housing, according to details that have been released by the Council.

Between March 16 and November 20, 70 complaints related to unfit or poor conditions prompted officers to take a range of informal actions including ‘contact with tenants and landlords, review of evidence via external inspections and/or review of photographic evidence provided’. There was one report of an ‘actual unlawful eviction’ that the council says is ‘still under investigation.’

Nine reports of ‘attempted unlawful evictions’ resulted in ‘informal action taken’ but the council was ‘unable to verify [the] substance of unlawful eviction’ in these cases.

One report of harassment by a landlord or representative resulted in ‘informal action taken to date regarding a request for service which is still under investigation.’

There were five reports that deposits had not been secured.

One of these led to informal action being taken after which a landlord secured a tenancy deposit; one involved a landlord requesting council’s advice after which they also secured a deposit; one had no substance; and three further reports remain under investigation.