A London resident was trapped in his home after demolition began while he was still inside his flat and is now pursuing up to £100,000 in damages for harassment and unlawful eviction.
Here's what to know
According to The Independent, Nicola Saia woke up to banging around 9 a.m. on July 18, 2023, in his former home at The Cricketers in Kennington, near the Oval. He went into the living room and found debris falling from the ceiling beneath an opening created overhead.
In court, Saia's barrister, Kevin Brown, told Judge Karen Evans-Gordon that landlord Ravinder Laly was present with builders and that "Mr. Laly left the premises and locked the gate with the claimant inside."
According to Brown, the front gate was then boarded up and secured with a padlock, while the flat itself had become uninhabitable. Saia says he stayed there until July 29, 2023, when the council finally accepted him as homeless and provided temporary housing.
His claim against Laly and the property company alleges harassment and unlawful eviction and says the episode caused "shock, stress, anxiety, and inconvenience."
More background
Before its later decline, The Cricketers was a music pub that once hosted acts including Fairport Convention, Happy Mondays, and The Pogues. By 2023, it was slated for demolition, and in 2024, the building was completely torn down.
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A key question is whether Saia was a legal tenant. Brown said Saia was acting as a "property guardian" and therefore paid no rent, but argued that he nonetheless had a right to "quiet enjoyment" of the flat and should not have been subjected to demolition work while still living there.
Brown further alleged problems with water service, saying it was interrupted for part of June 2023 and then unavailable altogether from July 25-29, 2023, before Saia left the property on July 29, 2023.
What's being done?
The lawsuit seeks up to £100,000, but Laly denies the allegations. His barrister, Ben Leb, argued that Saia was not legally a tenant, citing the lack of rent and the absence of exclusive possession over either the building or the flat. Leb said notices to vacate were issued on February 21, 2023, and June 9, 2023, because the property was due to be demolished.
Brown argued, "The fact that there was permission for demolition cannot amount to permission to demolish the building while it is still under occupation."
Laly and the property company have filed a countersuit alleging trespassing.
While this is a rare case, not all disputes have to end up in court. For renters trying to work with landlords or building managers to change established rules — whether the issue is access, outdoor growing space, or drying laundry outside — changing bylaws can be a useful starting point for organizing concerns and proposing updates.
Where can I learn more?
The articles below cover other disputes over risky property decisions, alleged retaliation, and what landlords can and can't do.
• After a tenant raised safety concerns, a massive rent increase was described as illegal retaliation.
• A tenant said a landlord's terrible recycling practices were bad enough to report.
• A landlord ruined a backyard garden after showing up unannounced and making changes alone.
• A renter was told by their landlord to rip out a beloved garden.
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