Squatter wins £2,000 damages after landlord began demolition

A squatter has been awarded £2,000 in damages for harassment after his landlord started demolition work on a south London building while he was asleep inside. Nicola Saia received the payout from Ravinder Laly following an incident at The Cricketers in Kennington in July 2023.

Central London County Court found Mr Laly’s conduct to be oppressive and calculated to cause alarm and distress. The judge accepted Mr Saia’s evidence that he was asleep when agents instructed by Mr Laly began removing the roof, knowing he was still in the property.

Demolition work causes distress

Mr Saia, who had been living in a flat at the former music venue, described waking to loud banging at 9am. He found debris falling from the ceiling and a hole through the roof of his living room and bedroom. The property, formerly a music venue that hosted acts like The Pogues and Happy Mondays, was fully demolished in 2024.

Mr Saia had sued Mr Laly and his company, RSL Slough Ltd, for harassment and unlawful eviction, seeking up to £60,000 in compensation. He claimed to have suffered shock, stress, and anxiety.

Partial victory in court

The court dismissed claims of harassment relating to the landlord cutting off WiFi and boarding up the property. The judge also found that Mr Saia was not a legal tenant and that there was no breach of the Protection from Eviction Act, which formed the basis of a significant part of his claim.

Recorder Tom Shepherd stated that while Mr Saia was technically a trespasser, Mr Laly could have pursued other legal avenues instead of commencing demolition. The judge awarded nominal compensation of £1 on a counterclaim by Mr Laly for trespass.

Mr Laly had made threats to remove the roof from July 3 2023 onwards, with the demolition of the roof occurring on July 18 2023 while Mr Saia remained in occupation. The judge found the imminence of these demolition threats crossed a legal line.