Rogue landlord Thomas Flight pleaded guilty at Bristol Crown Court to consumer protection offences against his tenants.  

Flight created false identities and fake companies as part of an elaborate web of misinformation designed to exploit his tenants has been fined £12,000 and ordered to pay the local authorities £25,000 of costs.  

After several hearings, an agreement was reached between Flight and the authorities for him to plead guilty to four of the six charges against him. 

According to a council statement, the business went by a number of different trading names, meaning no one ever really knew who they were dealing with or who was responsible when problems arose, as tenants had been receiving fictitious landlord and letting agent information. Flight even went as far as having a fictitious individual registered as a director of one of his companies.

Tenants who complained about issues were threatened and harassed until they withdrew valid complaints, However, the council was able to use these complaints as part of their investigation.

Prior to being outed Flight’s identity was kept hidden from his tenants, allowing him to both keep security deposits and use unfair commercial practices including charging banned and hidden fees to tenants.

 In February 2021, Flight was interviewed by the council in relation to alleged criminal offences. Following this interview, he voluntarily repaid those tenants who had been charged banned fees or whose security deposits that up to then had not been returned.

According to the council during the interview Flight failed to cooperate, blaming the situation on an alleged letting agent who couldn’t be traced and is believed to be another of his inventions.

The council makes a point of saying that Flight has not been banned from letting properties as these offences are not Banning Order offences under the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

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