Somerford Grove Renters

@LDNRentersUnion members demanding Fair Rent and No Evictions from our billionaire landlord @YianisCY. Sign our open letter

[Somerford Grove Renters @GroveRenters]

🔥MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT🔥 We've just won £19k from our landlord @YianisCY in the First Tier Tribunal. This the first of many cases in the pipeline, and a historic ruling for renters across the UK. When we fight, we WIN! Read all about it
👇👇👇

[Novara Media @novaramedia]

Cheers, @YianisCY – this one’s on you 🍾
https://t.co/m39L4WmBtu

[Somerford Grove Renters @GroveRenters]

BBC One ran a documentary on Friday night about how John Chistodoulou still hadn't paid us the quarter of a million pounds he owes us for not licensing flats in Hackney - https://t.co/PSMeqCtwNG

[London Renters Union @LDNRentersUnion]

"The mould was so bad it was like there was smoke in my house."

Powerful words from Sarah at yesterday's protest demanding action from @haringeycouncil on rampant damp & mould in the borough.

As a result, we secured a meeting with leader @perayahmet to discuss the issues. 💪

[Novara Media @novaramedia]

A group of London renters has won a six-figure sum from a billionaire landlord who left them living in unsafe conditions.

After a three-year legal battle, the 46 former tenants of 15 flats in east London were awarded £263,000 by a tribunal – but some fear “rogue landlord” John Christodoulou could try to dodge the penalty.

This may be the largest rent repayment order in UK history, but it isn’t the first for residents of Somerford Grove in Hackney. The group has been winning in court against Christodoulou since lockdown, yet three former tenants awarded £24,000 in 2022 say they still haven’t been paid.

During the court case, Christodoulou – a Monaco-based property magnate who is 70th on The Sunday Times Rich List – shut down the two companies he used to collect rent.

"This appears to be a deliberate attempt to evade financial responsibility through corporate restructuring," said Marc Sutton, a member of Somerford Grove Renters.

Jordan Osserman, a 36-year-old lecturer and spokesperson for the campaign, added: "This case shows how the law is rigged against renters. Christodoulou makes millions off our rent while flouting the law and cutting corners on safety. But even when we win in court, landlords like Christodoulou can game the system to avoid paying up. The only way we can fight back is by organising and taking collective action."

The group has been supported by the London Renters Union, which described the ruling as a “huge victory” but added that “the fight continues” until Christodoulou pays up.

[London Renters Union @LDNRentersUnion]

🚨 BREAKING: just under 50 LRU members organising in Somerford Grove WIN £263,000 from a BILLIONARE LANDLORD due to unsafe conditions.

This is a huge victory. But the property tycoon is trying to avoid paying the compensation. The fight continues to get justice for our members!

[Emanuele Midolo @ManuMidolo]

Exclusive: A group of tenants have been awarded a record six-figure sum in rent repayments from one of Britain’s richest men. John Christodoulou, who is based in Monaco, has an estimated wealth of £2.5bn, but has failed to pay rent repayment orders before. https://t.co/8fmCg3pbPQ

[Somerford Grove Renters @GroveRenters]

Glad to see some action against our billionaire landlord @YianisCY! Now let's get our tenants the rent repayment order money that Christodoulou has dodged.

[Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Gov @mhclg]

We’ve always been clear we will take action against those who do not take responsibility for building safety issues. Housing Secretary @MichaelGove has launched legal action to force Yianis Group, landlord of a Canary Wharf apartment complex to pay £20.5m for building safety work

[Somerford Grove Renters @GroveRenters]

📣 Press coverage alert! After winning a tribunal, we're owed £22,500 from our billionaire landlord @YianisCY, but still no payment! 💸 20 more flats are fighting for justice, potentially totaling £500,000 in claims. https://t.co/t8dZbcnQY8

[IWGB Universities of London @IWGBUoL]

Who gets the right to disagree at UCL?

Yesterday, IWGB members and supporters at UCL confronted UCL Provost Michael Spence at his event, titled "How to Disagree Well"

We highlighted the silencing of security guards over proposed fire-and-rehire redundancies.

🧵 A thread

[London Renters Union @LDNRentersUnion]

🚀 Our members in Brent launch the #NotAnotherWinter campaign demanding @Brent_Council tackle DANGEROUS housing in Brent.

💥 Take action & sign the petition: https://t.co/T9isUYPoZf

✊ Retweet if you agree that no one should face another winter of damp and mould.

[London Renters Union @LDNRentersUnion]

🙌 Big win for Hackney renters! 🙌

Hackney Council has committed to invest £400,000 in housing safety enforcement following our #SideWithRenters campaign.

🧵 Read and RT the thread on how London Renters Union is fighting for renter safety across our city.

[London Renters Union @LDNRentersUnion]

BREAKING: Mick Lynch, Dave Ward, trade unions, Sadiq Khan, Andy Burnham, and many others join renters in calling for a FREEZE ON PRIVATE RENTS.

The government must act now. #RentFreezeNow

💥 Write to your MP and RETWEET: https://t.co/kmOPxdEtyE

[Somerford Grove Renters @GroveRenters]

Pleased to see another report in the FT of leaseholders challenging the unscrupulous behaviour of our landlord https://t.co/ElNS4laccY

[Somerford Grove Renters @GroveRenters]

Tenants winning Rent Repayment Orders - we love to see it! As for landlords forced to pay up for violating basic health and safety / licensing requirements... 🎻

[💚Canary Riverside @CanaryRiverside]

We’ve put a page on our website about the recent FTT decision that ruled £1.6M of insurance commissions paid to our landlord was not reasonable & not payable by 98 leaseholders joined to the application.

The scandal of insurance commissions must end.

https://t.co/dfgXidKWRy

[Leasehold Knowledge @LKPleasehold]

John Christodoulou ‘lamentable’ lack of transparency over excessive £1.6m insurance costs at Canary Riverside @michaelgove
@TheFCA
https://t.co/WIkMk7Y64j

[Somerford Grove Renters @GroveRenters]

Our leaseholder friends at Canary Wharf have secured another major win against billionaire landlord John Christodoulou, who has been overcharging them to the tune of £1.6mn: https://t.co/4YU1q43sW9. Congratulations and solidarity!

[London Renters Union @LDNRentersUnion]

A nice bit of news to end the year with:

6 LRU members have received payouts of between £6,000 and £9,000 from billionaire landlord John Christodoulou.

When renters get organised, we can win.

[Somerford Grove Renters @GroveRenters]

(And yes, in this case THE MONEY IS IN THE BANK!)

[Somerford Grove Renters @GroveRenters]

Hey tenants! We're pleased to report a major WIN and UPDATE from Somerford Grove Renters 🧵

[Somerford Grove Renters @GroveRenters]

@AnthonyGoldLaw @nearlylegal @robin_stewart1 @YianisCY