Landlord Rod Bloor has won a £100,000 payout from a council after claiming staff doubted his honesty to prospective tenants.
Bloor, who runs a 60 property portfolio as Doncaster Property Services Ltd, alleges Doncaster Council slandered him by making untrue comments about how he conducts business.
The council denies the claim but issued a statement on the eve of a High Court hearing brought by Bloor, saying:
“Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council is able to confirm that any allegation Mr Bloor was untrustworthy, dishonest or had fabricated documents, would be false.
“DMBC and Mr Bloor are pleased to confirm that this action has now been concluded to the satisfaction of both parties."
The council explained the payout was towards Bloor’s legal costs, but despite the statement and pay-out, claims the case was unfounded.
Debbie Hogg, the council’s director of corporate resources, said:
“Mr Bloor issued High Court proceedings against the council which we have defended. As a result, unnecessary court costs have been incurred. At the eleventh hour, Mr Bloor decided to withdraw his claim which underlines our view that this case was not substantiated and has now been concluded.”
Bloor said the alleged slander arose after he won a dispute with the council over council tax payments. Before the dispute, he had worked with the council to provide homes to vulnerable tenants.
“I’m elated in the respect that my name has been cleared,” he said, adding the case had left him with a legal bill of more than £200,000 despite the council payment.
