Stanton?Gilkes is not disputing that he owes his landlord rent, but he wants to know if that gives her the right to put his possessions out of the house.
Gilkes, who has been renting the house at Pasture Road, Haggatt Hall, St Michael, for a year, turned up there last Friday to find all of his furniture, appliances, clothes and other items moved out of the house and placed in the backyard, the garage and the patio.
And even though some of the items have been covered with plastic, the 45-year-old man wants to know what recourse he has since some of them appear damaged.
Gilkes is in this dilemma because he owes his landlady $1 500 representing three months’ rent for July, August and September.
“I told the [landlady] that I?was going through a difficult time because I do a lot of work for Government and I was waiting on my money.
She told me that she would give me until October 4. When that day came I?told her I did not get through as yet, and she texted and told me come and get my stuff right now.
Gilkes said he told the landlord to give him until last Friday because he needed to look for somewhere to store his belongings
“When I?went to the house last Tuesday it was nailed up. I called the police and they came and told her that she could not evict me like that and that she was breaking the law. They even helped her remove the boards she had nailed on the doors and windows.
“The next day when I went back to the house, I?realized that some of my things were missing so I wrote up a list and took it to the police. I went back to the house Friday night and when I got there all my things were put outside and the locks changed,” he said.
Gilkes said he went back to the District “A” Police Station, but this time around the cops told him there was nothing they could do.
“I understand she had a bunch of people moving my things,” Gilkes said, as he pointed out that he could see some of the items were already damaged. He was also peeved at finding plates and cutlery just thrown on the ground in the garage.
“I am calling the police every day and all I am getting is the runaround. When I call, they telling me that the log book is being used and that they would call me back, and nobody calls back. I?cannot believe that the police told the landlord to go and read the Landlord Act and that she was breaking the law and now that she has put out my things, they are not responding,” he lamented.
Furthermore, Gilkes admitted that he had intended to vacate the house on his own but now he does not feel comfortable removing his items because he does not know what was damaged or missing.
“I?am very hurt – my clothes, my personal items, everything just outside. I?know I?owe rent, but I?don’t like the way [the landlady] deal with the situation; she even told me that I have nothing of value,” he said.
I was unable to reach the landlady, but police public relations officer Inspector David Welch said he would investigate the allegations made by Gilkes.
