A landlord couple who moved into their tenant’s spare bedroom while she was still living there have been fined.

In a recording played at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court, Vicky Hargreaves, of West Chilton Terrace, Chilton, told the victim she did not care about being arrested, while her then partner, Frank Bradley, declared he could walk into the property any time he wanted.

Hargreaves, 73, and Bradley entered the property in West Chilton Terrace in early July 2023 and took over the spare bedroom. They stayed for a few days before returning on 12th July demanding to move in again. The couple had previously served the victim notice to leave the property, but she was still within the legal notice period.

Interfering

Bradley had admitted interfering with the peace and comfort of a tenant at Peterlee Magistrates Court in December 2023, when he was 67. He was fined £588.

In the recording, Hargreaves said: “You’ve got two bedrooms up there - we’re only asking for one.”

Bradley said he could walk into the property anytime he wanted, adding: “If you want to shut the doors, I can still get in there, no bother at all.”

Stressed

The victim said the incident had made her feel stressed and uncomfortable.

Hargreaves was ordered to pay £924 in fines and charges. Unlike Bradley, she did not plead guilty at the earliest opportunity, resulting in the case going to trial.

Michael Kelleher, Durham County Council’s head of planning and housing, says: “The actions taken by these landlords were unlawful and caused the victim a great deal of stress. A landlord has no right to move into a property while it is occupied and must follow the legal process to evict a tenant. The victim should feel proud of the part she played in securing these convictions.”

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