Judge To Look Into Why Tenants Are Not Prosecuted For Criminal Damage & Theft

Judge To Look Into Why Tenants Are Not Prosecuted For Criminal Damage & Theft

10:46 AM, 12th October 2016, About 8 years ago 164

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On my flight from Malta to Heathrow last week I had the pleasure of sitting next to a gentleman who was a Judge and also worked for the Ministry of Justice to review the Court system.

We got talking about criminal damage so I asked him how many tenants he had fined or imprisoned for criminal damage to a landlords property during his career as a Judge.

He went quiet for a while, clearly deep in thought, but then had to admit that such a case had never been brought before him. Being naturally inquisitive I asked him why he thought that might be.

He had no answer.

The point I made was that if I were to smash his doors, windows, garage door etc. I would expect to be prosecuted. He agreed.

He also agreed that criminal damage is criminal damage regardless of whether the person committing the crime is a tenant of a landlord or not. We then went on to discuss theft of property from a landlords property by a tenant.

When I explained to him that Police and CPS regularly brush off theft from a landlord or criminal damage caused by a tenant as a “civil matter” he was clearly concerned and accepted that when tenants do commit such crimes they should be prosecuted. I’m not convinced he appreciates the scale of the problem though so I am asking you to provide some examples in the comments section below. I have the Judge’s contact details and he will be signed up to receive notification emails linking to your comments.

If he is true to his word (I have no reason to doubt that he won’t be) then our chance meeting could well prove to be a very useful one in terms of my quest for justice for landlords.


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Comments

H B

9:54 AM, 19th November 2016, About 7 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Dr Rosalind Beck" at "17/11/2016 - 23:06":

"We just discovered a cannabis farm in one of our houses."

Wow. Never had anything like that happen to me. Police really neglecting their duties. Did the tenant pass all the normal reference checks?

Heather G.

17:38 PM, 2nd August 2018, About 6 years ago

Just wondering if the judge in question ever responded to these examples or Mark's conversation?

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

18:10 PM, 2nd August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Heather G. at 02/08/2018 - 17:38
Sadly not. He went very quiet and I have no idea why.

Chris @ Possession Friend

21:58 PM, 2nd August 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mark Alexander at 02/08/2018 - 18:10
The answer to Police (or CPS ) not pursuing obviously willful damage is to lodge a formal complaint, and bring civil action against them for your loss.
I have successfully complained against a Police force for not taking action against a tenant for theft of carpets and blinds from my property. ( and my case was upheld by the Professional Standards Department, saying further training was required for officers )

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