Issue Date:  -  Friday, 12 August 2005

Landlord fined a record $44,000

Yesterday saw the handing down of the largest fine ever in Western Australia to a residential landlord.

Serial offending landlord Rolf Gerard Voulon of Colin Grove, West Perth and his company Temple of Bel Pty Ltd of Florence Street, West Perth have been fined $44,000 with costs of $1,000 in the Perth Magistrates Court.

Magistrate Cullen described Mr Voulon’s dealings with a particular tenant as deplorable and remarked that Mr Voulon was the author of his own punishment.

The Magistrate also said that he hoped the penalty would deter Mr Voulon from repeating his offences. The convictions related to Mr Voulon and his company:

• removing door locks without the tenant’s consent;
• demanding late rental payment fees of $5 per day;
• misrepresenting the nature of accommodation as lodging when it was a tenancy;
• using coercion on a number of occasions to obtain payment from the tenant; and
• threatening unlawful eviction.

“Tenants are entitled to fairness as they pay good money to rent their premises from landlords”, Consumer Protection Commissioner Patrick Walker said.

“We are pleased with the Court’s strong stand on this matter and are confident that this will send a clear message to landlords who engage in unlawful conduct that they do so at their own peril”, he said.

Consumer Protection is also seeking an injunction in the Supreme Court against Mr Voulon and four of his companies to restrain them from violating the Residential Tenancies Act and Fair Trading Act. The injunction hearing is scheduled for August 22nd.