Mansfield woman prosecuted for dumping rented furniture from moldy flat

An agent for Ask Property discovered a wardrobe, desk, chair, bed and mattress were missing from Jade Lawson's former £450 per month one-room flat on Carter Lane when they visited to obtain a meter reading on June 29 last year.

Magistrates in Mansfield heard the furniture, worth £766, was there when the room was last inspected on January 25, but Lawson left on July 4 without leaving a forwarding address.

She told police the mold in the flat caused her breathing problems and when she informed the agents on multiple occasions they told her to open the window.

She handed her notice in and paid a man with a van to take the items to the tip. She made no profit but agreed the tenancy agreement forbids the removal of any items.

Ian Pridham, mitigating, said Lawson, aged 32, had lived in the one-room flat for ten months and always paid the rent on time, but quickly highlighted there was “a huge problem with damp and mildew.”

He said the mildew, which stretched from floor to ceiling, had made the wallpaper flake off and affected all her clothes and belongings.

He said Lawson, a single mum, works 48-hour night shifts as a support worker and couldn't leave the window open as she lived on the ground floor.

“She managed to save some money from her earnings to move out," said Mr Pridham. “She disposed of the furniture in frustration.

"It didn't occur to her this would be criminal. She thought it would be a civil matter.

“She is very aggrieved that the landlord didn't look after the property or her welfare properly.

“She wasn't aware it would amount to theft. I would argue this is lesser culpability.

“A lot of her own own belongings were damaged. She works all the hours God sends to pay her way.”

Lawson, of Corporation Street, Mansfield, admitted theft of a tenant by fixture, when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Tuesday.

She was fined £246 and ordered to pay £766 compensation.